Donald Trump acts referee in tense Jake Paul-Dana White meeting

Jan 22, 2026 - 13:00

For years now, UFC President Dana White and influencer Jake Paul have been engaged in a cold war with each other. Following Paul’s loss to Anthony Joshua, White voiced his dissatisfaction with the bout. In addition to this, Paul also had his own share of problems with White.

Paul had once called out White over UFC fighters’ pay as well as their contract nature. A few years ago, in 2022, he had even released a diss track targeted toward White, which even included a cameo by ex-UFC women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg.

Recently, Dana White, Jake Paul, and Donald Trump were spotted together at the College Football Playoff National Championship between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium.

While the trio met together, there seemed to exist a bit of tension between White and “The Problem Child,” leading to Trump trying to ease the tension between the duo. At the CFP championship final, Paul was captured entering the suite at Hard Rock Stadium, where White and Trump were enjoying the game.

The footage going viral on social media shows Paul seemingly ignoring White and shaking hands with another individual. As the exchange happened, White preferred to remain in his seat and sport a serious look on his face, while Paul and Trump engaged in a conversation. It was followed by Trump introducing Paul to White.

Despite no audio emerging from the footage, the entire clip seemed filled with tension. During the final moments of the footage, White also seemed to inquire about Paul’s health, as the 29-year-old addressed the broken jaw he received from Anthony Joshua.

While it remains to be seen if Trump was able to squash the beef between Paul and White, fans on the internet started talking about Trump’s mediating skills and work acting as a referee. One fan wrote, “Donald Trump may say he has stopped another conflict.” While one more fan wrote, “Trump truly can bring peace everywhere.”