This article was written by Gus Wilson and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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President Donald Trump is assembling quite the roster of sports legends for his midterm campaign rallies.
Roger Clemens. Mike Tyson. Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Three all-time greats have joined the president onstage in the past eight days, with the undefeated boxing legend becoming the latest Wednesday night in Arizona.
And that’s not even the entire roster.
The 50-0 Mayweather joined Trump at his rally in Bullhead City, Ariz. The former boxing champion praised Trump and reflected on representing the United States at the 1996 Olympics.
“We couldn’t have chose a better president twice than Donald Trump,” Mayweather told the crowd.
Almost every famous boxer and UFC fighter is a big supporter of Trump. Doesn’t surprise me. Combat fighters respect bravery and Trump in Butler is the baddest ass moment in American presidential history.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 14, 2026
The appearance was the latest in a growing trend of Trump bringing some of the biggest personalities in sports to his political events.
And he certainly isn’t slowing down.
Trump’s star-studded lineup
Last Wednesday, seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens joined Trump at his rally in San Antonio. But Trump had another surprise for the Rocket.
The president announced he would award Clemens the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, while also renewing his support for the pitcher’s Baseball Hall of Fame candidacy.
President Trump announces he is awarding baseball legend Roger Clemens the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his San Antonio rally.
Trump invites the seven-time Cy Young Award winner onstage and says Clemens deserves a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
A visibly surprised Clemens responds, “Well I’m stunned, number one,” adding that the honor surpasses anything he accomplished during his playing career.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 8, 2026
Two days later, it was Mike Tyson’s turn.
The former heavyweight champion accompanied Trump to Syracuse, N.Y., for a rally supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman.
.@POTUS: “This is Iron Mike Tyson. I won’t be fighting him today, but I’ve been his fan for a long time. We’ve been friends for a long time. Iron Mike — there’s nobody like him.” https://t.co/ZMgd7FAPwA
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 9, 2026
Tyson, who has maintained a decades-long friendship with Trump, briefly addressed the crowd after the president called him onstage.
Former NFL coach Jon Gruden also joined Trump in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday. And just two days later, Mayweather joined the growing list.
The Sports Fan In Chief
Trump’s connection to the sports world isn’t new. From attending major college football games to hosting sporting events at the White House, the president has made athletes a regular part of his public appearances.
The biggest conversation of the Texas-Tennessee game may have happened off the field!
@ClayTravis caught up with President @realDonaldTrump for an exclusive halftime interview at Neyland Stadium.
Check out all the details here: https://t.co/aWDLvx7Q8N
— Sport & State (@SportNState) September 26, 2026
It’s also a way to reach sports fans who might not normally pay attention to a campaign event, although celebrity appearances alone don’t guarantee votes.
The strategy has produced quite the lineup in just over a week. A seven-time Cy Young winner, two boxing legends and a Super Bowl-winning coach.
At this rate, Trump might need a bigger stage.
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