Dana White has publicly condemned remarks made by Josh Hokit during his post-fight interview at UFC Freedom 250, after the heavyweight used the moment to repeat a baseless conspiracy theory about former first lady Michelle Obama.
Hokit stopped Derrick Lewis on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14 before making the comment during his in-cage interview with Joe Rogan. Rogan did not engage with it, simply reintroducing the fighter before moving on.
White addressed the remark in a text message to TIME, distancing himself from the comment while framing it as a free speech issue.
I understand that the Obamas are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families. Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.
The comment drew immediate backlash. Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III called it a disgrace, writing that it takes a small person to use a career-defining moment to attack a woman. Fox News host Jessica Tarlov also criticized the remark after sharing a clip.
The UFC appeared to remove the comment from its official YouTube content following the live broadcast, though White stopped short of announcing any disciplinary action. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Hokit, according to TIME. Ahead of the event, White had described the card as nonpolitical and framed it as something all Americans could enjoy.