UFC boss Dana White publicly disagreed with conservative allies and White House officials who are calling for "cancel culture" tactics against liberals celebrating Charlie Kirk's death.
White, a close Trump supporter, told CBS News that he opposes efforts to destroy people's lives over social media comments, despite finding such celebrations disgusting. The Daily Mail reported that White joined a growing number of conservatives voicing alarm over aggressive campaigns to track down and expose liberals who posted vile comments about the slain conservative activist.
When asked whether UFC fighters could face consequences for social media posts, White emphasized his belief in protecting free speech. He stated that he hates cancel culture "on both sides" and referenced the current situation with Kirk as an example of problematic tactics.
White told reporter Jon Wertheim that he strongly believes in free speech protection, particularly for controversial or offensive expression. He specifically stated that "probably the most important speech to protect is hate speech," demonstrating his commitment to First Amendment principles.
The UFC president acknowledged that while he finds people celebrating Kirk's death to be "disgusting human beings," he doesn't support ruining their lives over mistakes. White emphasized that people make errors and do foolish things, but that shouldn't result in permanent destruction of their careers or education.
His position puts him at odds with some conservative activists who have been systematically contacting employers to get liberal commenters fired. White's stance reflects a principled approach to free speech that transcends political allegiances and focuses on fundamental constitutional protections.
The controversy has exposed a significant rift within the conservative movement between different tactical approaches to political opposition. Some conservatives believe the left should be fought using any available methods, including their own cancel culture techniques.
Others argue that mimicking progressive cancel culture undermines the moral authority and core principles of the conservative movement. Conservative commentator Raquel Debono questioned whether efforts to get political opponents fired align with Christian values or conservative principles.
Conservative speaker Olivia Krolczyk claims to have contacted more than 470 employers since Kirk's assassination, representing the aggressive faction within the movement. This approach has drawn criticism from conservatives who view such tactics as betraying fundamental beliefs about free expression and forgiveness.
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel faced consequences after falsely claiming that accused assassin Tyler Robinson was a conservative during his late-night show monologue. Kimmel incorrectly characterized the alleged gunman as part of the "MAGA gang," despite investigators revealing Robinson's far-left radicalization and transgender roommate relationship.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brandon Carr announced he was considering an investigation into Kimmel and ABC following the false statements. Nexstar Communications Group subsequently pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live from its 23 ABC-affiliated stations.
ABC executives took emergency action by announcing that Kimmel's show would be "preempted indefinitely" following the controversy. The incident demonstrates how misinformation about the assassination has created broader media and regulatory responses across the entertainment industry.
Despite the current controversy, White and Trump continue planning a historic UFC fight card scheduled for the White House South Lawn. White confirmed during a podcast appearance that fighters will walk from the Oval Office directly into the octagon for the unprecedented event.
The UFC chief met with Trump at the White House in late August to finalize details for the unique fight night, including venue capacity and logistics. White told CBS that "everybody wants to fight on the card" for the exclusive White House event.
Trump and White have maintained a close friendship spanning over two decades, beginning when Trump hosted UFC events at his Atlantic City casino in the early 2000s. White has consistently supported Trump throughout his political campaigns, speaking at multiple Republican National Conventions and participating in his election victory celebrations.