Trump sparks outrage as he attends Miami UFC bout with Ivanka and Kai alongside Marco Rubio and Dana White after failed Iran peace talks

Donald Trump sparked outrage after attending a UFC bout alongside Marco Rubio in Miami at a time when Iran peace talks are collapsing.

Talks between the two countries ended on Sunday after 21 hours after failing to reach an agreement.

Vice President J.D. Vance admitted that Iranian negotiators left Pakistan after the talks ended. They ‘chose not to accept our terms’, including Tehran’s commitment not to seek or develop nuclear weapons.

Three key disagreements remain: Iran says it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz only after a deal, nearly 900 lbs of enriched uranium remains unresolved, and Tehran demands the release of $27 billion in assets abroad.

During Vance’s interviews, Trump took time to attend UFC 327 with his daughters Tiffany and Ivanka, grandchildren Kai and Arabella Rose, Secretary of State Rubio and promoter Dana White.

Judging by the Paramount+ release, crowd reaction seemed largely positive, although the loud Kid Rock entrance music made it difficult to hear whether he was booed or applauded.

But not everyone was happy about Trump returning to the UFC universe.

‘Does he know he started a war?’ one critic asked X: ‘I think it’s time for the UFC?’

Trump photographed with his grandson Kai, who attended the Masters this week

“I mean the world is on fire,” another added. ‘But let’s use some tax money to get into a UFC fight.’

Some critics kept it more succinct: ‘We work hard for the American people.’

As fight fans grabbed their phones to capture the moment, Trump stopped to greet UFC announcers Jon Anik and Joe Rogan, who were critical of the ongoing war with Iran.

“It’s great to have you in the building tonight, Mr. President,” Anik told Trump as the main fight card was being prepared.

And Trump wasn’t just a spectator in Miami on Saturday. According to White, the President requested that UFC veteran Derrick Lewis be added to the fight card scheduled for the White House on June 14, Trump’s birthday. White was more than happy to oblige.

Although Trump appeared with his family between matches, Carlos Ulberg appeared focused on Paulo Costa defeating Azamat Murzakanov before stopping Jiří Procházka in the main event.

Another Trump ally, kickboxer Andrew Tate, was also present at the event, although he was not traveling with the President and was not seen chatting.

Tate was accompanied by his brother Tristan, who is both accused of human trafficking in Romania and the United Kingdom. Andrew, who denied the allegations, also battled rape accusations in Romania and England.

According to Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu, the brothers’ travel restrictions were lifted by Romania after Trump officials intervened on their behalf. But Trump denied knowing anything about their case last year.

Tiffany Trump arrives at UFC 327 with older half-sister Ivanka in attendance

Donald Trump was seen in Miami with his daughter Ivanka and granddaughter Arabella Rose

Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Dana White at UFC 327

Trump meets Ivanka alongside Tiffany and husband Michael Boulos in Miami

Trump is not the first President to attend a sporting event at a time when the US armed forces are on edge.

George W. Bush famously threw out the first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium following the September 11 attacks. But his father, George H.W. Bush, undertook his first field missions in 1990 and instead allowed his wife, Barbara, to take over the mission during the Gulf War with Iraq.

Although White touted Trump’s presence at UFC 327 this week, there was some skepticism about the President’s attendance, given the fragile two-week ceasefire with Iran.

And it was business as usual for Trump earlier in the day. Before flying to Miami on Saturday, Trump was asked about China’s reported threats to send air defense systems to Iran.

“If China does this, China is going to have big problems,” he said before heading to Joint Base Andrews.

George W. Bush threw out the first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium following the September 11 attacks. But his father, George H. W. Bush, accepted his first field assignments in 1990 and instead allowed his wife, Barbara, to take on the assignment during the Gulf War.

But Trump has always enjoyed the UFC and its CEO, White, so his sighting in Miami on Saturday wasn’t a complete surprise.

Trump has tapped White to speak on his behalf at the last three Republican National Conventions since he began his political career in 2015, leading many to wonder whether the MMA promoter could serve in a larger role in the White House.

“His base is Trump’s base,” Trump’s former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway previously told The New York Times of White. ‘And Trump’s base is his base.’

But White downplayed the possible Trump appointment.

White told Sports Business Journal in 2024 through a spokesperson: ‘Donald Trump is one of my very good friends. He did a great job in his last term as president, and I know he will do an even better job over the next four years. ‘I have no personal political aims.’

Tristan (left) and Andrew (right) Tate, accused of human trafficking, attended the game in Miami

Additionally, White could provide Trump with a greater service through what the New York Times calls “cage match politics.” Trump now regularly appears cageside at UFC events; where fight fans and the fighters themselves shower their highly sought-after tributes on the former President.

And on June 14, Trump will welcome White and the UFC to the South Lawn of the White House for an event aimed at celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary on the President’s birthday.

The six-fight card, highlighted by the lightweight title bout between Georgia’s Ilia Topuria and American fan favorite Justin Gaethje, will be seen by just 5,000 lucky guests. Meanwhile, another 80,000 tickets will be distributed to fans to watch on a giant scoreboard-sized screen from a nearby park.

Although the event is being billed as a major fight card by both the UFC and the White House, many fans continue to criticize the matchups and other logistical issues.

The event will be held on the South Lawn of the White House, with extra seating on the Ellipse

Rogan will also attend, but that doesn’t mean he’s happy with the event.

“Yeah, I’m not too excited about it,” Rogan told comedian Mark Normand on a recent episode of his popular podcast. ‘Yes, I’ll be there, but I’m not excited about it, it doesn’t seem like a smart idea.’

There were some questions about Rogan’s presence on the White House fight card, given his increasingly complicated relationship with Trump. Regardless, the two shook hands in Miami on Saturday.

Rogan’s podcast was a crucial platform for candidate Trump, who did a three-hour interview on the show and earned the host’s endorsement in the days before his 2024 election victory.

But in recent weeks, Rogan has criticized Trump’s war with Iran, calling it “crazy,” and has also taken aim at the President’s immigration tactics and the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files.

He also called the so-called UFC Freedom 250 event a ‘gimmick’.

Tatiana Suarez talks to Rogan after the win in Miami. Rogan is skeptical of UFC Freedom 250, the MMA fight card scheduled to be held on the White House lawn on Trump’s birthday

“People are criticizing the card, but if it was any other card, it was a great card, they were just criticizing it because they said it would be the ‘greatest card of all time’ and it would also be a security nightmare,” Rogan said.

‘They also fight outside,’ he continued. ‘What if it rains? What if it’s hot? You’re in mid-June, June can be pretty hot in DC, which affects warriors.’

White has long resisted outdoor matches due to potential problems with weather and other factors.

“We’ve only had one fight outside involving me and that was in Abu Dhabi and it was a nightmare,” Rogan said. ‘It was really hot and there were bugs the size of birds flying around, it was crazy.’

Rogan won’t be the only big name on hand.

Trump confirmed he would attend UFC Freedom 250 in an interview with Jake Paul earlier this month.

‘It’s going to be amazing in the White House,’ he said. ‘And Dana [White] He’s a great guy. He’s a good fan of yours, you know. Dana is a good man. The best. So there’s no one like him.’