Joe Rogan has described his recent interaction with Donald Trump at a UFC event, pushing back on speculation about a rift between the two.The moment drew attention at UFC 327 in Miami where his brief cageside exchange with Rogan quickly became a talking point among fans, particularly given Rogan’s recent public comments around the White House event and broader issues.Speaking on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan said his exchange with Trump “wasn’t like he was mad at me at all; it was the opposite,” even as his broader stance on the administration has become more critical in recent months.
What happened at UFC 327
The interaction took place when Trump attended UFC 327 in Miami on April 11, where he received a more mixed reaction from the crowd than in previous appearances alongside UFC president Dana White. During the event, Trump approached Rogan cageside, prompting speculation among fans about the nature of their conversation. Addressing that on a recent episode of his podcast, Rogan rejected the idea of tension. When guest Luis Gomez said, “The big conspiracy theory is that Trump is mad at you, when he came up to you at UFC, and he was talking s*** to you?”, Rogan responded, “No, it was the opposite.” He then connected the exchange to a prior discussion about ibogaine, a psychedelic substance he has advocated for in treating mental health conditions. “I said how effective it is, and I said it’s been held up for so long,” Rogan explained. “And he said, ‘What are you looking for? Are you looking for FDA approval?’ He goes, ‘That sounds good to me.’ He said, ‘Let’s do it!’”
Ibogaine controversy grows after Joe Rogan shares details with Donald Trump sparking debate over PTSD treatment and health dangers (Image via Getty)
Rogan added that when they met again at the UFC event, Trump followed up directly: “Literally he sees me at the UFC the next day, shakes my hand and says ‘it’s done.’ That’s what he was saying and I said, ‘Thank you, sir.’ It wasn’t like he was mad at me at all; it was the opposite.”
Executive order and ibogaine discussion
Days after that exchange, Trump signed an executive order aimed at accelerating research into psychedelic-based treatments. Rogan was present behind the president in the Oval Office during the signing, which Trump said would “dramatically accelerate access to new medical research and treatments based on psychedelic drugs.” The order directs federal agencies to speed up research, review and potential approval processes for treatments including ibogaine, particularly for patients with serious mental health conditions who have not responded to existing therapies. Referring to Rogan’s role in raising the issue, Trump said during the Oval Office event: “We all respect Joe and he’s a little bit more liberal than I am. That’s OK. I have a lot of friends that are liberal. Joe is an amazing guy. He wrote me a little note about this, and I had it checked out. Everybody came back with the same answer.”
Rogan’s criticism of the White House UFC card
Despite that access, Rogan has been openly critical of the planned UFC event at the White House, known as UFC Freedom 250 or the White House card, scheduled for June 14. He confirmed that he will be part of the commentary team but made clear his reservations about the event. “Yeah, I’m not thrilled about that (event),” Rogan said. “Yeah, I’ll be there but I’m not thrilled about it, it doesn’t seem like a wise idea… It’s kind of a gimmick, you know, there’s that.” He also pointed to how the card has been received by fans, noting that expectations may have contributed to the criticism. “And people are criticizing the card but if it was any other card it’s a great card, it’s just they’re criticizing it because they said it was gonna be the greatest card of all time.” Rogan added that the setting itself raises logistical and safety concerns. “It’s also just gonna be a security nightmare.”
Concerns over timing and global tensions
Rogan’s strongest concerns relate to the timing of the event, particularly with ongoing tensions involving the United States in the Middle East. “It sounds crazy,” he said on his podcast. “I know it’s going to be very high security and high stress and weird to have a fight at the White House in the middle of a f—— war.” He added that while there is hope for de-escalation, he is not convinced it will happen in time. “I would hope the war will be sorted out by June, but quite honestly, I’m not confident that’s going to be the case.” “That will be weird, having this very high-profile event where everybody is in one place at one time.”
Broader shift in Rogan’s stance on Trump
Rogan endorsed Trump ahead of the 2024 election, but his stance has shifted since, with criticism directed at several areas of policy. He has taken issue with federal immigration enforcement operations, particularly ICE raids, saying agents were targeting “the easiest pickings,” and later arguing that masked federal officers are “a problem on our city streets” during operations in Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of residents Renee Good and Alex Pbretti. On foreign policy, Rogan has also questioned the administration’s approach to Iran, suggesting a connection to domestic political issues. “Look, the Epstein files come out, we go to war with Iran,” he said. These positions have marked a clearer distance from Trump, even as the two continue to interact publicly at events such as UFC fights.
Where things stand
Rogan remains involved with the UFC and is still expected to be part of the White House event, despite raising concerns about Trump’s approach on issues like immigration, foreign policy and the broader direction of the administration. His continued access and visible rapport with Trump, including their UFC interaction and Oval Office appearance, place him in a rare position of maintaining a cordial relationship while still openly pushing back on areas he clearly disagrees with.
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