Trump Caught on Video Ignoring Handshake at UFC Event
Donald Trump, President of the United States, was captured in a video ignoring a handshake request from Cheryl Hines, the spouse of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services and an actress, at a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) event, which is spreading widely.
U.S. President Donald Trump ignoring the handshake request from Cheryl Hines, spouse of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Photo captured from X (formerly Twitter).
On the 12th (local time), President Trump visited the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, to watch a UFC match. In the video, Trump entered the arena amid cheers from the crowd calling his name. He then shook hands with and greeted those seated in the VIP section one by one. After shaking hands with Secretary Kennedy Jr. and even sharing a light hug, he passed by Hines, who was extending her hand right beside him, without acknowledging her. Hines appeared embarrassed and awkward with a surprised expression. Fortunately, Trump exchanged a warm greeting with his granddaughter Kai, who was following behind him. Considering that Trump has typically described spouses of cabinet members or Republican leaders as "perfect," this behavior is seen as unusual.
Some interpret that the issue arose because Hines supported Kennedy Jr. when he ran in last year’s presidential election, and even when talks of unification between the two were intensifying, Hines firmly stated that she supported only her husband, not Trump. However, after the unification and Trump’s victory in the election, Hines was often seen at parties at Mar-a-Lago, leading to speculation that "Hines is also adapting well to the MAGA (Make America Great Again) world," sparking debate about Trump’s intentions. Some local netizens even labeled the video as a "very cruel moment."
Meanwhile, among those accompanying Trump to the UFC event were Dana White, UFC President and a close associate of Trump; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Kennedy; Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard; and FBI Director Kathy Patel. Also present were Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and Joe Rogan, one of the most influential podcast hosts in the United States.
The New York Times (NYT) criticized Trump’s attendance at the UFC event, describing it as "a scene symbolizing the president’s increasingly bold and brazen display of power in fulfilling campaign promises on immigration, crime, and other issues."
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