[News Figures] The 'Ssen' Men Who Stood with Trump at the Moment of Victory

Prominent Sports Figures Actively Supporting Trump's Campaign
UFC President White, US Open Champion DeChambeau

"I want to thank the 'US Open Champion' here today. He is fantastic... Also, there is Dana White who did the same here. He is a tough man. I would like to ask Dana to say a few words."

Former President Donald Trump mentioned "tough men" during his victory speech in front of supporters at the Palm Beach Convention Center in Florida on the 6th (local time) after securing the presidential election win. During his roughly 25-minute speech, Trump unexpectedly expressed gratitude to two prominent sports figures. The recipients of his thanks were Dana White, CEO of the world's top mixed martial arts stage UFC, and famous American golfer Bryson DeChambeau. Both were tough men who actively supported Trump during the election campaign and worked hard on the ground.

On the 6th, Donald Trump, the winner of the U.S. presidential election (right in the photo), stood on the victory declaration podium and was giving a speech alongside Dana White, UFC Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Photo by AP Yonhap News

White took the stage as the final speaker at the Republican National Convention last July to introduce Trump as the presidential candidate. It was unusual for someone other than a spouse or family member to introduce a presidential candidate, drawing significant attention. At that time, White described Trump as a "fighter" and "the toughest and most resilient person."

Born in 1969, White is 23 years younger than Trump and currently serves as the UFC president. UFC, first held in 1993, was acquired in 2001 by White's friend Lorenzo Fertitta and White's brother Frank White from the then-parent company Semaphore Entertainment, after which White has led and grown the organization. His connection with Trump began around this time. When UFC faced fierce opposition due to its raw fighting style and had difficulty finding venues, Trump reached out to White and offered one of his hotels as the event location.

UFC successfully held events at Trump's facilities, laying the foundation for success and later growing into the world's top fighting organization. Trump showed his affection for UFC by appearing in VIP seats near the octagon at major UFC events. In his victory speech on the 6th, Trump introduced White, saying, "No one has done better than him in sports. He knows how to motivate others," and praised him, saying, "He brought fighters to UFC and built the most successful sports company in the world."

This affection for White is also interpreted as connected to Trump's preference for male-centered culture and interest in sports. It is reported that when Kukkiwon President Lee Dong-seop visited Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in 2021, Trump showed great interest in Taekwondo. At that time, Lee awarded Trump an honorary 9th dan certificate and presented a Taekwondo uniform, and Trump reportedly gave a thumbs-up, saying, "Among martial arts sports, Taekwondo is the best."

On the 6th, Bryson DeChambeau, a famous American golfer, appeared on the victory declaration podium alongside Donald Trump (pictured right), who won the U.S. presidential election. DeChambeau wore a hat bearing the slogan "MAGA (Make America Great Again)," a symbol closely associated with former President Trump, as he took the stage. Photo by AP News Agency

Golfer DeChambeau, who also drew attention alongside White, appeared naturally supporting the campaign by featuring with Trump on his YouTube channel "Break 50" last July. DeChambeau's YouTube channel currently has 1.58 million subscribers. Although DeChambeau stated that the video had no political intent and was content for fundraising for a veterans' charity, he showed support by playing golf with Trump, smiling brightly, and enjoying himself.

In the video, DeChambeau said he first contacted both presidential campaigns and that Trump responded he would take on the challenge, adding, "It is a tremendous honor to play golf with a former and current president." The video quickly gained significant attention, reaching 13 million views shortly after the election victory.

Known as the "long-drive monster" in the golf world, DeChambeau was born in 1993, making him 47 years younger than Trump. He is the same age as Trump's daughter Tiffany Trump. Famous for his long drives on the PGA Tour, he won eight times before moving to LIV Golf, sponsored by Saudi Arabian capital, in 2020. After winning twice on LIV Golf, he claimed victory at the 124th US Open Championship last June. This is why Trump referred to him as the "US Open Champion."

After DeChambeau's US Open win, Trump congratulated him on the social network service Truth Social, saying, "Bryson DeChambeau had an amazing victory. He showed undeniable toughness and strength."

DeChambeau recently impressed the American public as a prominent supporter of Trump, growing closer to him. During the election period, he was seen publicly supporting Trump wearing a hat with the slogan "MAGA (Make America Great Again)," a symbol of Trump's campaign. On the day of the victory declaration, he appeared on stage wearing this hat at Trump's call.

The activities of White and DeChambeau appear to have greatly helped solidify Trump's male support base. UFC, known for its violence and male-centered culture, saw its fans actively support Trump, unlike fans of other major sports. At the same time, Trump, a "golf fanatic," commands many male golf fans, and DeChambeau's influence as a US Open winner and influencer is also analyzed to have had an impact.