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544. How Trump Is Weaponising AI and Martial Arts at the White House
Where this was said
Trump's UFC Birthday: Gladiators at the White House
At 33:39 · chapter starts 31:36
Back from the break, Alastair Campbell recounts what he calls the 'utterly hideous' spectacle of UFC cage fighting on the White House lawn for Trump's 79th birthday. The setting was surreal: a makeshift stadium, Evel Knievel-style motorbike riders, and the presidential honour guard — normally reserved for heads of state — welcoming the fighters as they entered. Campbell describes watching a French-African fighter destroy his opponent within seconds, the crowd chanting 'USA, USA.' The post-fight interview proved most remarkable: a fighter thanked Trump as the only man alive who could stage this, claimed his second-greatest love was Jesus Christ, and then asserted that Michelle Obama is a man. Campbell noted even the pro-Trump crowd seemed briefly uncomfortable. Rory observed that the whole spectacle felt 'quite Roman Empire' — gladiatorial games staged by an emperor [1] — Rory Stewart "It's quite Roman Empire, isn't it? Because actually what I feel, look, seeing the blood, is it's like gladiatorial games." 34:14 . Campbell adds that it was filmed on one of Larry Ellison's channels, that Truth Social was a sponsor, and that Trump is a shareholder in UFC — a neat summary of the corruption ecosystem.
Trump moved the G7 summit start date by a day so he could hold a UFC birthday event on the White House lawn. Only 13% of Americans approved. One fighter thanked Trump and then claimed Michelle Obama is a man. It was, as Rory put it, quite Roman Empire.
