Trump has been associated with professional wrestling for many years, and his relationship with Hogan dates back decades.
Hulk Hogan died at 71
Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan was WWE’s first major star and six-time WWE champion.
President Donald Trump lamented the loss of his “great friend” Hulk Hogan, calling the professional wrestling icon “Magger,” recalling his high-energy look at the 2024 Republican National Convention.
Trump described Hogan, whose death was announced on July 24, as “strong, tough, clever, but with the greatest heart.”
“He entertained fans all over the world and the cultural influence he had was huge,” Trump said in a social media post.
Trump has been associated with professional wrestling for many years, and his relationship with Hogan dates back decades. He hosted Wrestlemania in Atlantic City for the second year in a row in the 1980s, when Hogan reached the peak of his popularity. He is in the WWE Hall of Fame along with Hogan.
Hogan’s appearance at the 2024 Republican National Convention to support Trump was one of the more memorable moments of the event. Speaking on the final night of the convention just before Trump took the stage, Hogan pointed to a viewing box where Trump sat and declared, “At the end of the day, I’m going to take America back together with our leader, my hero, and that gladiator.”
Hogan, who is legally named Terry Borea, later stripped off his shirt and revealed the “Trump Vance makes America great again.” The crowd went wild.
Trump called it “one of the highlights of the entire week” in his social media post.
Hogan said he was urged to join the campaign after Trump was shot in an attempt to assassinate at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“As a celebrity, I’m trying to get away from politics,” Hogan said. “But everything that has happened to our country over the past four years and what happened last weekend makes me no longer able to remain silent.”
