Grammy-winning and Emmy-nominated comedian Nate Bargatze only went to Donald Trump’s birthday cage match—and posed for a photo with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines—because UFC is his “favorite sport,” a source close to the comedian claimed to the Daily Beast on Monday.
The family-friendly comic—and, apparently, massive UFC fan—attended Trump’s birthday party along with MAGA-friendly comedians Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis, adding himself as one of the few recognizable faces at the event, which several A-listers reportedly declined to attend.
But according to the source, the appearance was “not political.”
The comic, currently America’s top-selling stand-up for his clean, profanity-free material, was spotted at the unprecedented cage-fighting spectacle on the White House’s South Lawn on Sunday, to the surprise of some of his anti-Trump fans.
Bargatze, who has 3.1 million Instagram followers, posted nothing about his attendance. According to the source, the comedian discussed his attendance with his team—knowing that the publicly apolitical comedian’s appearance would be interpreted as a political statement—but decided to attend anyway.
During the event, one of the UFC fighters, 28-year-old Josh Hokit, shouted a vile insult about Michelle Obama in a bizarre outburst following his win over Derrick Lewis. “Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?” he said in a post-match interview with Joe Rogan from the ring, which was met with both laughs and loud groans. CNN reported that Trump “appeared to show a half-smile.”
While Shane Gillis told TMZ he “didn’t love” Hokit’s comment, Bargatze has not shared any reaction to the incendiary moment.
Though Bargatze was caught on camera less than the other comics in attendance, actress Cheryl Hines put the spotlight on him by posting a snap on Instagram that showed her arm-in-arm with Bargatze and her husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The comedian taking a photo with Hines and Kennedy should not indicate his political leanings, the source insisted, since he has many fans across the political spectrum who ask for photos. He was previously seen posing for a photo with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, but also counts Trump nemesis Don Lemon among his prominent fans.
Bargatze, a devout Christian who grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, has remained mostly coy about his personal politics in interviews.
Fresh off his second consecutive year hosting Saturday Night Live in 2024, Bargatze told The Washington Post that he isn’t apathetic about politics but is intentional about keeping it out of his comedy. “I actually enjoy politics,” he said at the time, “I don’t talk about them, but I enjoy them. I don’t think it’s what people are coming to me for.”
In 2025, he told Esquire that there were already plenty of celebrities sharing their political views, making his take unnecessary. “If I want to give you my opinion on who I voted for, who’s that for?” he said. “It’s for me, really, because I want you to know I’m smart. I don’t think it’s really helping an audience. You don’t think they know who to vote for? They’re living life.”
He added, “Once you run out of celebrities’ opinions on politics, maybe I’ll jump back in, but right now I just want to do the opposite.”
Still, the Tennessee native has occasionally waded into politics, even if not verbally. In February, he posed with Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, an ally of Trump’s who strives to “fight wokeness” by dismantling DEI initiatives, limiting abortion care, and introducing legislation that prevents the “ideological indoctrination” of students by penalizing teachers for “pushing far-left ideology,” according to her website.
Bargatze was meeting with Blackburn to discuss his proposed Nateland theme park, which he plans to open in his hometown of Nashville.
Fans question whether Bargatze is truly oblivious to the implications of publicly cozying up to MAGA.
Wrote one on Reddit reacting to Bargatze’s appearance at the White House UFC event: “I sometimes wonder if some celebs have no idea about the amount of damage their reputation takes once they are in close proximity of Trump. It might not be immediate, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he loses audiences in some places. There is no quicker way to torpedo your standing than sucking up to this administration.”
