Podcaster Joe Rogan, who emceed an event featuring UFC fights at the White House during Donald Trump's administration, stated that organizers likely should not have booked fighter Josh Hokit given his past behavior. Rogan, an endorser of Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, commented on Hokit's prior slur against former first lady Michelle Obama, which occurred after a fight.
Hokit, known for his wrestling-style persona "The Incredible Hoke," had referred to Michelle Obama as a man following a win. Rogan explained on "The Joe Rogan Experience" that Hokit operates as a "pro-wrestling bad guy" who is also a skilled fighter, creating a problematic dynamic when he continues to win.
"They probably, in retrospect, if they wanted to avoid this, probably shouldn’t have had him fight on the White House lawn," Rogan said. He contrasted this with the potential impact of such an incident occurring at a major venue like Madison Square Garden, suggesting it would have been outrageous but less consequential.
Despite the criticism of booking Hokit, Rogan described the overall White House event as "amazing," though he had previously expressed concerns about the heat affecting the fighters.