White House Praises UFC Winner Josh Hokit, Ignores Michelle Obama Slur at South Lawn Fight
Updated
Updated · Deadline · Jun 15
White House Praises UFC Winner Josh Hokit, Ignores Michelle Obama Slur at South Lawn Fight
3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jun 15
Summary
Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, praised Josh Hokit’s South Lawn UFC win as showing “toughness” after Hokit said in a post-fight interview, “Michelle Obama is a man.”
The White House did not answer requests to condemn the remark, even as CNN’s Jake Tapper noted the administration objects when insults target First Lady Melania Trump.
Dana White told Time he supports free speech but “hate[s] that kind of nonsense,” and Barstool founder Dave Portnoy was also cited among right-leaning critics of Hokit’s comment.
Democrats including Rep. Joaquin Castro tied the episode to Paramount+, which held exclusive rights to the event, after the cage match was staged in a temporary arena on the White House South Lawn.
Hokit’s remark echoed long-running racist conspiracy theories about the Obamas, a theme sharpened by Trump’s earlier promotion of false claims about Barack Obama’s birthplace.