By: Iryna Hnatiuk
July 15 2024
Trump didn’t attend UFC Denver after he was shot. He was at the hospital at the time the claim appeared.
Context
Shortly after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, a social media user published a video of Trump allegedly arriving at UFC in Denver. According to the author, Trump was accompanied by the president of UFC, Dana White.
The post is being spread across social media (archived here and here). At the time of writing, the post had gained 82,700 views on X (formerly Twitter).
However, the claim is false. When the post appeared online, Donald Trump was still at the hospital. Broadcasters didn't notice him at the event. Moreover, Dana White published on his Instagram account that he was on a plane to Italy when the assassination attempt took place.
In fact
When the post appeared on social media, Trump was still being treated at a hospital in Pennsylvania and couldn't attend the event.
Another figure mentioned in the claim, Dana White, couldn't accompany him. He said that, at the time of the shooting, he was on his way to Italy.
Sportskeeda, an online magazine specializing in in-depth sports and entertainment coverage, called the claim "a fabrication." Sportskeeda stated that Trump planned to attend the UFC. However, he wasn't noticed throughout the broadcast.
Trump's first statement after the shooting didn't mention a UFC fight. As of the time this fact-check was written, Trump hadn't posted anything related to the claim.
The verdict
The claim Donald Trump attended the UFC Denver event shortly after the assassination attempt is false. It appeared online when Trump was at the hospital.