NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal was seen warmly greeting Donald Trump at UFC 314 – only a couple of years after slamming the president on social media.
Trump was joined by the likes of Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the UFC fight night in Miami on Saturday night.
The president was given a standing ovation by the crowd at Kaseya Center, which included the likes of Barstool boss Dave Portnoy and O’Neal.
In a clip that appeared on social media, the Lakers legend can be seen shaking hands with Trump and sharing a brief conversation with the president cageside.
The embrace was in stark contrast to a previous public exchange in February 2023, after Rihanna gave a controversial Super Bowl halftime performance.
Trump was among those to criticize the singer’s show, branding it an ‘EPIC FAIL’ and, ‘without question, the single worst Halftime Show in Super Bowl history,’
NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal was seen embracing president Donald Trump at UFC 314
Trump was joined by the likes of Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Miami fight night
Trump wrote on Truth Social: ‘This after insulting far more than half of our Nation, which is already in serious DECLINE, with her foul and insulting language. Also, so much for her ‘Stylist!’”
But O’Neal leapt to Rihanna’s defense amid the criticism with a thinly-veiled dig at Trump. He called out ‘presidential candidates’ and said: ‘If she was my woman and I seen one of you superstars do that. I’m gonna have to get at ya.
‘Rappers. Presidential candidates – I’m gonna have to get at you. Leave this woman alone.’… shut the f*** up!’
The 53-year-old continued: ‘All you people disrespecting my Rihanna, shut your face. Shut it up… we living in a world where people got too much freedom. Keep your f***ing thoughts to yourself
O’Neal, who is now a hugely popular NBA analyst, added: ‘She did a wonderful job, she’s pregnant, she blessed it, she did her thang, she didn’t fall. Just leave it there. All you superstars that’s disrespectful and causing beef, shut your face. Shut it up.’
Back in 2016, meanwhile, Shaq described Trump as a ‘straight-up guy’. ‘Donald Trump speaks to an eclectic type audience… I just think he says it wrong.’
O’Neal also clashed with influencer Adin Ross at the UFC event on Saturday night. On Ross’ Instagram story, O’Neal can be seen menacingly looking at the camera mouthing, ‘Imma f***ing kill you!’
Ross replied, ‘Then do it!’, while the caption to the story read: ‘@Shaq, please do it I can’t wait to sue’.
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