UFC fighter Josh Hokit made a derogatory comment about former first lady Michelle Obama during a White House cage-fighting event on Sunday, June 14, 2026, sparking widespread condemnation. The UFC attempted to scrub the remark from official content, though the full, uncensored interview remains available on the organization’s Indian branch YouTube channel.
The 28-year-old heavyweight prospect made the statement during a live interview with commentator Joe Rogan following his second-round technical knockout victory over Derrick Lewis at the historic UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn. After thanking President Donald Trump for hosting the event, Hokit told Rogan, “And lastly, Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right America?”
Fox News host Jessica Tarlov called the remark “absolute trash,” and former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III called Hokit’s actions “a disgrace,” specifically noting the racist history of calling Black women men.
When asked about Hokit’s comment, the White House would not directly address the question. A UFC spokesperson directed inquiries to a text message from UFC CEO Dana White when approached for comment.
The UFC Freedom 250 card marked the first professional mixed martial arts event ever staged at the White House, transforming the historic South Lawn into a cage-fighting arena to celebrate both Trump’s 80th birthday and the approaching 250th anniversary of American independence. Trump, sitting in the front row with First Lady Melania Trump and White, “appeared to show a half-smile” seconds after Hokit’s remark, though he did not publicly comment on the statement.
White House communications adviser Margo Martin captured the moment on Instagram when Hokit placed a medallion around Trump’s neck after his victory. Lip reader Jeremy Freeman, quoted by the Daily Star, said Trump told Hokit, “Too kind, thank you. You are the champion.” New York Post journalist Steven Nelson reported that Trump later took off a chain the fighter had draped over him following the comment.
Rogan said only “Ladies and gentlemen, Josh Hokit,” before ending the interview. UFC officials shared an eight-second clip of Hokit’s post-fight speech on social media but edited out the Obama remark, including only an earlier insult Hokit made about fellow fighter Alex Pereira’s mother.
Approximately 4,300 spectators attended the outdoor spectacle, which included military flyovers by the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, as well as a B-1 bomber pass. Trump’s entire immediate family was in attendance, along with high-profile guests including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the Winklevoss twins, cabinet officials, and foreign dignitaries. The event, which featured seven fights that all ended in stoppages, was delayed by weather concerns and ran until after 1:15 a.m. Monday morning.
Fringe conspiracy theorists have for years promoted the false claim that the former first lady is transgender, and Hokit’s statement amplified this false narrative on a national stage during a White House-sanctioned event broadcast exclusively on Paramount+.
This was not Hokit’s first controversial post-fight statement. At a UFC event in January, the fighter known as “The Incredible Hok” made similar remarks about WNBA star Brittney Griner, saying, “And P.S., Brittney Griner is a man.” Hokit also went viral during the weigh-in for Freedom 250 after appearing to stagger and vomit on himself before stating, “So what, maybe I was drinking last night.”
Reecie Colbert, host of Sirius XM’s “The Reecie Colbert Show,” told theGrio that Trump has provided a “permission slip to be as brazenly racist and sexist as possible” throughout his political career. She added that Trump and his supporters have fostered an environment where such comments are not only acceptable but celebrated.
The controversy over Hokit’s statement comes amid Trump’s ongoing pattern of attacks on the Obama family. On February 12, 2026, the president posted a video depicting both Barack and Michelle Obama as primates. After removal of the video, the White House attributed it to an unnamed staffer, but Trump repeatedly refused to apologize for the racist content. Weeks later, Trump reshared a post from ally Laura Loomer calling Michelle Obama an “anti-white racist.”
Michelle Obama has been a vocal critic of Trump and declined to attend both his second inauguration in January 2025 and the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter. She said on her podcast “IMO” that her decision to skip such events “suited” her, given Trump’s history of attacks on her family.
The Daily Beast contacted the White House and representatives for Michelle Obama for comment but did not receive responses. Paramount+, which aired the event exclusively, declined to comment.
Former CNN host Don Lemon reacted to the clip on his show with visible disgust, rolling his eyes and grabbing a bag as if preparing to leave.
Despite the controversy, the UFC Freedom 250 main event delivered one of the year’s biggest upsets. Justin Gaethje rallied from several dangerous moments to defeat the previously unbeaten Ilia Topuria after four brutal rounds, claiming the undisputed lightweight championship shortly after 1 a.m. Monday. “I’m from America,” Gaethje said afterward, drawing parallels to the nation’s founding.
The event concluded what Trump and White House officials called “a once-in-a-generation celebration of the American fighting spirit,” though critics argued it demonstrated something far less noble about the current state of American political discourse.
