Tyson Fury’s appearance at a White House UFC event has turned into a political argument online.
The former heavyweight champion attended UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn on Sunday, June 14, wearing a cap that read “Donald Trump for Prime Minister,” according to The Independent.
Fury later posed for a photo with President Donald Trump, UFC president Dana White and Mark Zuckerberg, then posted the image to Instagram with the caption, “Power pic,” The Sun reported.
The photo and hat quickly drew criticism from some followers, with the Daily Mail and Metro reporting that commenters questioned the Furys’ public support for Trump after the White House appearance.
Fury Posted the White House Photo After the UFC Event
View this post on Instagram
Fury attended the event in a black-and-yellow suit and the Trump cap, making a showy entrance before posting from the White House grounds. The Sun reported that the boxer thanked Saudi boxing official Turki Alalshikh for helping make the trip happen and described the night as his first return to the United States in nearly five years.
The image that drew the most attention showed Fury standing with Trump, White and Zuckerberg. Fury wrote, “Power pic. @realdonaldtrump @danawhite @zuck no words needed!” according to The Sun.
Another post on Fury’s Facebook page backed Trump for U.K. prime minister, using the phrase “President Donald J. Trump for uk PM,” adding the hashtag “makebritaingreatagain” and tagging Paris Fury, according to the Daily Mail.
Metro reported that some commenters called the posts “disappointing,” while the Daily Mail reported that other followers accused the couple of forgetting their values. Fury and Paris did not appear to have publicly responded to the criticism at the time of those reports.
The White House UFC Card Was Already a Political Spectacle
UFC Freedom 250 was not a standard sports backdrop. The event was held on the White House South Lawn as part of the United States’ 250th-anniversary celebrations and coincided with Trump’s 80th birthday, according to CBS News.
The Associated Press published photos from the event showing the octagon set up on the South Lawn and Trump arriving with White. CBS News reported that mixed martial arts fighters competed on the White House grounds, with Justin Gaethje defeating Ilia Topuria in the main card fight.
The event mixed celebrity guests, UFC branding, White House staging and Trump’s birthday celebration, while protests took place outside, according to The Guardian.
Fury Also Teased a Boxing Announcement
The White House trip also gave boxing fans another reason to watch Fury’s next move. The Sun reported that the visit marked his first time back in the U.S. since his October 2021 knockout win over Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas.
Fury teased a “massive” announcement while in Washington, D.C., and Alalshikh hinted at news connected to a possible Fury fight with Anthony Joshua, according to The Sun. Fury’s manager Spencer Brown also said Fury was expected to have a warm-up fight in Ireland on August 1.