Additional Coverage:
- Dana White doubles down on controversial WHCD shooting stance – ‘Awesome experience’ (irishstar.com)
UFC President Dana White has once again described his experience during the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as “awesome,” despite facing significant criticism for his initial remarks.
At the end of last month, White stirred controversy after referring to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., as “f—ing awesome,” even though the incident posed a serious threat to those present.
The 56-year-old made these comments amid the evacuation, drawing sharp rebuke from figures such as MMA journalist Ariel Helwani and UFC veteran Matt Brown. Helwani compared White’s reaction to that of a father treating the situation lightly rather than confronting the danger, while Brown expressed being “absolutely flabbergasted” by White’s attitude.
Undeterred by the backlash, White reiterated his stance during an appearance on ‘The Jim Rome Show’ on Thursday, again calling the event “badass” and “incredible.” He recounted sitting next to Fox News host Pete Hegseth when the chaos erupted – glass shattering, plates breaking, and urgent commands to get on the floor.
White described seeing around 50 Secret Service agents rushing through the venue with guns drawn, securing the stage and shining lights on attendees. His adrenaline surged, and he said he was “bouncing off the walls” for hours afterward. “To be involved in something like that and nobody gets hurt… it was badass,” he said.
When asked if he complied with instructions to get down on the floor, White admitted he did not. Instead, he explained he wanted to take in what was happening.
“If somebody’s gonna shoot me in the back like a fish in a barrel, my family’s getting a closed casket,” he said bluntly. “I’m getting shot in the face… I’m not laying on the floor waiting to be shot.”
White concluded by calling the experience “amazing” and hoped it would remain a “one of one” event, emphasizing relief that no one was injured.
Given the strong reactions to his initial remarks, White’s renewed enthusiasm for the incident is likely to provoke further criticism. Nonetheless, his unfiltered and candid perspective on that tense night in Washington remains unchanged.