Over the past couple of years, the UFC has been scrutinized for its apparent connection to U.S. President Donald Trump, mainly due to UFC President Dana White’s longstanding friendship with Trump. However, while White’s friendship and subsequent endorsement of Trump at the 2016 Republican National Convention (RNC) emphasize the UFC president’s political stance, the promotion’s actual owners do not appear to share White’s political ideology.
Endeavor co-CEOs Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell both made significant donations to the Democratic Party ahead of the 2018 midterms. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Emanuel gave a $120,400 in total donations while Whitesell gave $147,400, which account for some of the biggest donations from Hollywood.