Former President Donald Trump received thunderous applause at UFC 302 in New Jersey on Saturday night, one of his first public appearances since a New York jury convicted him of 34 felony counts.
Trump walked into the venue with Dana White, the president of UFC, to a standing ovation. He shook hands with attendees and greeted the judges before taking his seat.
Videos posted to social media showed the crowd chanting, âF*** Joe Bidenâ and âWe want Trump.â
President Donald Trump is in the building! đşđ¸đşđ¸đşđ¸#UFC302 | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/5GxqLnWbzI
â UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 2, 2024
đşđ¸ Donald Trump đ¤ Aaron Rodgers đ¤ Theo Von đşđ¸#UFC302 | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/gaU20Djtv2
â UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) June 2, 2024
The former president also received recognition from multiple fighters during the event.
âPresident Trump, youâre the man, bro. It is a damn travesty what they are doing to you. Iâll be donating to you, my man. Letâs get it done,â Sean Strickland, the former UFC middleweight champion, said in his victory speech from the octagon.
BREAKING: Former UFC champion Sean Strickland shouts out Trump in his post-fight victory speech.
âPresident Trump, youâre the man⌠It is a d*mn travesty what they are doing to you. Iâll be donating to you, my man.â pic.twitter.com/aXeGE97kQe
â Leading Report (@LeadingReport) June 2, 2024
WATCH: After UFC fighter Kevin Holland wins the match, he goes and shakes President Trumps hand.
â Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) June 2, 2024
UFC middleweight Kevin Holland, who snapped his opponentâs arm during his match, climbed out of the octagon after his win to talk to Trump.
âI just apologized because the first time I hopped out of the cage when he was there I didnât speak to him,â Holland reportedly said.
On Thursday, Trump was convicted on 34 counts in the case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg over hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. After the verdict was read, Trump slammed the trial as a politically motivated setup. The former president said the âreal verdictâ will be delivered on Election Day.
America has never seen a movement like this.
âWe want Trumpâ chants breaking out everywhere pic.twitter.com/74oWIDUODD
â đşđ¸Travisđşđ¸ (@Travis_4_Trump) June 2, 2024
âThis was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt,â Trump said. âItâs a rigged trial, a disgrace. They wouldnât give us a venue change. We were at 5% or 6% in this district, in this area. This was a rigged, disgraceful trial. The real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people. And they know what happened here. And everybody knows what happened here.â
President Joe Bidenâs campaign, which polling shows is behind Trump in several battleground states, used the verdict in Trumpâs trial as a fundraising pitch.
âThe stakes have never been higher â democracy, personal rights and freedoms, and the future of our economy are all on the line,â one email said.
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On Friday, Trump referred to himself as a âPOLITICAL PRISONER OF A FAILING NATIONâ in a post on his social media site, Truth Social. He said he would âSOON BE FREEâ after the November election.
âAfter sitting for five weeks through that Rigged Trial in Lower Manhattan, which was surrounded by vast but unnecessary numbers of New Yorkâs Finest in order to keep law abiding MAGA patriots away, and as I watched insignificant numbers of fully funded Radical Left troublemakers, with brand new and gleaming professionally made signs, screaming and cursing from areas said to be closed to us, and all others, I realized that Reason, Truth, and Love of our Country is no longer a force of Good and Change. These are Dark Days in America!â Trump wrote.
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