CNBC reported on Saturday that Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), was the driving force behind Donald Trump's surprise endorsement of Anheuser-Busch.
White took the lead in rebuilding Bud Light's relationship with conservative consumers after a brief sponsorship deal with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney sparked a boycott campaign.
In October of last year, White signed a six-year contract with Bud Light worth more than $100 million. A source familiar with the situation said that White asked Trump to speak positively about Bud Light's parent company, which allegedly led to Trump's Truth Social post about giving Anheuser-Busch a second chance.
Trump also mentioned several pro-American talking points about the company, which White has echoed.
Trump owns up to $5 million in Anheuser-Busch InBev stock.
CNBC continues:
In his Truth Social post Tuesday, Trump appeared to be well-informed about detailed aspects of the beverage company's operations.
He noted that the company spends $700 million a year “with our GREAT Farmers,” employs 65,000 Americans and has provided scholarships to families of fallen members of the military. Trump wrote, “Anheuser-Busch is a GREAT American brand that perhaps deserves a Second Chance?”
In a press release announcing the deal, White said, “There are many reasons why I chose to go with Anheuser-Busch and Bud Light, most importantly because I feel we are very aligned when it comes to our core values and what the UFC brand stands for.”
A spokesman for UFC declined to comment on White's conversation with Trump. A spokesperson for Anheuser-Busch did not respond to a request for comment.
In his social media post defending Anheuser-Busch, Trump threatened to release a list of companies he considers “woke.”
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