Wrestling legend, pop culture icon, and red bandana-wearing showman, Hulk Hogan, passed away on 24 July at the age of 71. While his name remains etched in wrestling history, what's equally headline-worthy is his decades-long friendship with the US President, Donald Trump.
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Born in the chaos and glitz of the 1980s wrestling scene, their alliance was more than just backstage photo ops. It eventually found its way into campaign rallies, political conventions, and public endorsements. In the wake of Hogan's passing, whose real name is Terry Bollea, President Trump paid tribute to his 'great friend,' calling him 'strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart.'
A look inside Trump and Hogan's friendship
It all started in the 1980s at WrestleMania. Hulk Hogan was already a towering figure in the wrestling world, standing at 6'7" and weighing nearly 300 pounds. Trump, then a rising name in New York real estate, sponsored WrestleMania IV and V, both held at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. Hogan was the headliner of the show as Trump sat ringside, and a friendship was born backstage and broadcast to millions.
Hogan recalled their first interaction last year and said:
My first interaction with Trump was WrestleMania four and five, and you know, I didn't think he'd come to the show. But he was there early, came in the dressing room, met all the wrestlers.
Adding:
He's the same guy now that he was back then. He hasn't changed a bit. I mean, he's just a quality person.
Their relationship eventually shifted from spectacle to politics. At the 2024 Republican National Convention, Hogan formally endorsed Trump. In light of his assassination attempt at that time, he took to the stage and said:
As an entertainer, I try to stay out of politics.
But after everything that's happened to our country over the past four years, and everything that happened last weekend, I can no longer stay silent.
He stormed the stage, tore off his shirt, and revealed a 'Trump Vance 2024' tank top. He shouted:
Let TrumpMania run wild, brother! Let TrumpMania rule again! Let TrumpMania make America great again!
Weeks later, Hogan joined Trump at a rally in Madison Square Garden — red and yellow gear, feathered boa, and all.
After Hogan's death, Trump branded his show of support as 'absolutely electric speech.'
Was he always MAGA? Hogan's political flip turn
Though closely associated with Trump in later years, Hogan wasn't always aligned with the MAGA movement. In fact, he previously endorsed Barack Obama and publicly supported him through the 2012 re-election campaign, reports The Independent.
By 2016, however, his political tone had shifted. In an interview with TMZ, Hogan floated the idea of joining Trump's ticket, saying:
I don't want to be in the ring with any candidates, I want to be Trump's running mate…Vice President Hogan?
The official endorsement came in 2024. The years in between were turbulent — in 2016, Hogan filed a lawsuit against media site Gawker for publishing part of a private sex tape. With backing from billionaire Peter Thiel, he eventually settled for $31 million, a move that led to Gawker's closure.
That legal battle, which unfolded during the rise of Trump's ‘fake news' rhetoric, drew noticeable parallels. Documentary filmmaker Brian Knappenberger later remarked on the similarities between Hogan's case and Trump's media criticism.
By the time Hogan stepped onstage at the RNC, the transformation was complete. His final political appearance was at a Trump rally in October 2024, where he again leaned into the theatrics — flexing muscles and chanting slogans.
In his tribute on Truth Social, President Trump wrote:
He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!
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Sources used:
The Independent: From Wrestlemania to MAGA-land: Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump's friendship through the years
