Vince McMahon is a controversial figure both in and out of professional wrestling, and one reason for that is his close association with Donald Trump. The former United States President is controversial in his own right for various reasons, and their friendship has often caught the attention of mass media and wrestling fans.
WWE previously brought Trump in to make multiple appearances over the years, eventually leading to him entering WWE’s Hall Of Fame in the celebrity wing. But there is a lot more to their friendship than meets the eye that many fans aren’t aware of due to how private the two businessmen can be.
Donald Trump Thought Vince McMahon Died In The Limo Explosion
This Was A Segment Designed To Get McMahon Off Television
WWE has often put together tons of controversial segments to get people talking, and the infamous limousine explosion was a great example of that. Vince McMahon slammed the door to step inside his limo, only for the entire vehicle to explode, which gave the idea that McMahon had been killed.
This was initially done to write McMahon off television, but after tragedy struck the business, he had to cancel the storyline and return. However, many people did buy into the situation and believe the idea that he was dead. That included Donald Trump. Triple H has revealed that Trump phoned up to double-check if something had happened to McMahon, having bought into the idea that he was genuinely dead.
McMahon Paid Money To Donald Trump’s Foundation
This Was An Unrecorded Payment That Has Recently Been Uncovered
Vince McMahon has been a major supporter of all Donald Trump’s ventures, including paying $5 million into Trump’s foundation. These payments were split between 2007 and 2009, when Trump was actively involved in WWE, but McMahon never publicly recorded them.
This has led to more controversy and question marks surrounding their friendship because the payments were only leaked as part of a Wall Street Journal report. The foundation no longer exists, either, as Trump dissolved it in 2018.
They Agreed To A Special Contract For WWE WrestleMania 23
Donald Trump Was Never Going To Shave His Head
Donald Trump’s biggest involvement in professional wrestling came during the ‘Battle of the Billionaire’ storyline between Trump and Vince McMahon. The businessmen feuded against each other, which managed to draw tons of interest from the outside world due to their star power and the unusual situation.
It culminated in a match at WWE WrestleMania 23, where Umaga and Bobby Lashley competed against each other on behalf of the two men. The plan was always for Umaga to lose and for McMahon to get his head shaved, which was the punishment for defeat. However, Trump would never shave his head under any circumstances. Even if something had gone wrong in the match and Umaga had won, Trump had signed a particular contract that guaranteed he was never going to be shaving his head, showing how much trust he and McMahon have in each other.
They’ve Remained In Touch Despite Vince McMahon’s Allegations
They Have Been Talking Regularly As Friends
Donald Trump is running to become the President of the United States of America, so it makes sense that he would want to steer away from any controversy right now. However, that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to be friends with Vince McMahon in recent times, regardless of the allegations against the former WWE Chairman.
The Janel Grant lawsuit has led to McMahon stepping away from the wrestling industry. Still, during that time, he leaned on his friendship with Trump. The two men have been talking regularly on the phone. While it’s unclear if McMahon has been getting advice on the subject from him, the situation hasn’t stopped them from being close, regardless of the negative impact it might have on Trump’s campaign.