Photo Credit: Instagram (Donald Trump)
Donald Trump, the former United States president, is currently running for another potential term in 2024 before starting his political career. He was actively involved in the entertainment industry, including WWE, which is called sports entertainment.
From a younger age in the late 1980s, Donald Trump made special WWE appearances. Then, he was actively involved in a storyline with the former WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon. Even though he never wrestled in a WWE ring, the 78-year-old made a perennial impact in the wrestling fraternity to get a Hall of Fame induction. Read about the career of Donald Trump in WWE with this article.
WrestleMania 4 And 5 Were Donald Trump’s First Major WWE Associations
In the 1980s, Donald Trump’s real estate business boomed. His Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was acclaimed for hosting numerous combat sports events. The venue hosted big boxing events for over a decade.
WrestleMania 4, which took place in 1988, took place at the Trump Plaza. Despite advertising the event in the Donald’s Hotel, the venue was different. It happened at Atlantic City Convention Hall.
The next year, WWE returned to the same venue as WrestleMania 5. Featured by Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan in the main event, this year’s show was bigger than the previous one.
During the fifth edition of the Showcase of Immortals, the event was still promoted to be hosted at The Trump Plaza, although the real location was different. A young Trump was spotted during both events and took backstage pictures with several wrestlers from the 80s.
At that time, Trump was determined to collaborate with WWE, seeing professional wrestling’s ascending popularity in the Golden Era. Talking to the documentary, ‘ The True Story of WrestleMania’, he said that he was willing to get a piece of WrestleMania. In America, many people wanted to be the host of WrestleMania but got it twice in a row.
WrestleMania 20 Appearance
Wrestling fans witnessed the presence of Donald Trump in the attendance of WrestleMania once again, but fifteen years later. The billionaire was in the crowd of WrestleMania 20, which was held at the iconic Madison Square Garden.
The old-school WWE wrestler and the former Minnesota governor, Jesse Ventura, took the interview of the businessman. Trump had a general conversation. He talked about his close bond with Vince McMahon.
The Battle Of Billionaires At WrestleMania 23
With the representative of Bobby Lashley, Donald Trump’s WWE appearance in the Battle of Billionaires contest at WrestleMania 23 was the most significant run of his WWE career
Building up to WrestleMania 23, the former president of the USA actively participated in the contest of billionaires against Vince McMahon. Witnessing Donald’s star power from reality television at that time, bringing him into a WWE storyline was the prudent move from Vince McMahon.
While Lashley represented Team Trump, Vince chose Umaga from the side, making the match official at the Grandest show of the year with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the guest referee.
The encounter was a hair vs hair battle. After Umaga was comprehensively beaten by Lashley, Vince was forced to go bald. Mr. McMahon’s biggest on-screen nemesis and the guest referee of the match, Stone Cold Steve Austin, assisted Trump in shaving Vince’s head.
Donald Trump Became The Owner Of WWE RAW In 2009
Showing his billionaire status, the 78-year-old had another brief run in WWE in 2009. In June, Trump renewed his old feud with Vince McMahon. Once again, he proved to be the superior billionaire, buying Monday Night RAW from the former Chairman.
The announcement was only for the storyline purpose. Vince was still the original owner of the show. Under Trump’s guidance, the red brand turned into a commercial-free show, while he booked some amazing matches, with the Triple H vs Randy Orton Last Man Standing match being a great example.
In a couple of weeks, McMahon reestablished himself as the owner of the flagship show after buying it for double the price of Trump’s. Bringing Donald on WWE TV again turned out to be a smart idea because the show drew its highest rating in seven years.
Hall Of Fame Induction In 2013
The WWE Hall of Fame lineup in 2013 was star-studded. Apart from Donald Trump, Trish Stratus, Bruno Sammartino, Booker T, and Mick Foley received the Hall of Fame status the same year.
Trump joined celebrities and non-wrestling personalities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mike Tyson, Snoop Dogg, Ozzy Osbourne, and Muhammad Ali in the WWE Hall of Fame. In his speech back in 2013, he talked about his love for WWE and the friendship he shared with Vince McMahon.
Meanwhile, the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in 2013 was the last major appearance of Donald in WWE. He later became one of the most recognized faces in politics and the 45th President of the United States in 2016.
Avik Das is an English Literature graduate with an experience of over six years as a professional writer. He has written for renowned publications such as The Sportster, Sportskeeda, Pinkvilla, and The Things
