Sean Strickland has made it clear that the potential UFC event at the White House doesn’t interest him, at least not in its current form.
During a recent livestream with Adin Ross, the outspoken UFC middleweight addressed rumors and chatter about a possible White House–hosted UFC fight card, distancing himself from the idea. Understanding why some fighters might feel uneasy about competing in front of an ultra-elite crowd, Strickland said he shared similar reservations.
"Some guy fought, and he said that he doesn’t really want to fight in front of billionaires, and I do understand that," Strickland said (around the 46:48 mark in the video below). "That makes sense, bro. I think I would want to do the White House… yeah, if there was some kind of inclusion for fans it would be more."
Being blunt for a second, he added: "But just to go hang out with the fucking Epstein list? I’m good, dog. I'm good, dude."
Strickland’s remarks stood out because of his long history of publicly supporting President Donald Trump. The fighter has previously described Trump as a political hero, posted selfies with him, and openly backed him during the 2024 election cycle.
There was even one point when Strickland encouraged voting participation regardless of political disagreement, joking that people could vote "even if you vote wrong."
However, Strickland’s recent comments reflect a noticeable shift, or at least growing skepticism, toward Trump and the broader MAGA movement. Over the past several months, he's publicly criticized Trump’s foreign policy positions, particularly the administration’s strong support for Israel and involvement in the Gaza conflict.
In a series of posts on X, Strickland said he was drawing a "line in the sand" over U.S. politicians' ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), going so far as to say he would consider voting for a Democrat over a Republican candidate aligned with the lobbying group.
He has repeatedly argued that U.S. involvement in Israel’s war is not in America’s interest and accused politicians of being influenced by foreign interests.
Strickland has also publicly mocked Trump’s proposal to seize and redevelop Gaza, questioning how such plans align with an "America First" agenda. In one post, he sarcastically listed policies he supported, like deportation and lower taxes, before stopping short at rebuilding Gaza, asking whether voters had made a mistake.