Professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan rallied support for former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign with a high-octane speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.
The Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee was buzzing as Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, took the stage to kick off the fourth and final night of the convention. Known for his colorful wrestling persona, Hogan was an energetic addition to the program that stood out from the night’s lineup.
Hogan did his best to engage the crowd by channeling his iconic “Hulkamania” energy into a spirited endorsement for Trump.
With his trademark enthusiasm, Hogan ripped off his “Real American” shirt to reveal a Trump Vance 2024 shirt underneath, declaring, “Enough was enough, and I said, let Trump-a-mania run wild, brother. Let Trump-a-mania rule again. Let Trump-a-mania make America great again.”
Hogan’s endorsement was not merely a show of support but a performance that drew parallels between his world of professional wrestling and politics. He likened Trump and his running mate to his former wrestling tag team.
“I’ve seen some great tag teams in my time, Hulk Hogan and oooh, yeah, the ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. But you know something? I see the greatest tag team of my life standing upon us and getting ready to straighten this country out for all the real Americans,” he said.
Hogan expressed a sense of urgency throughout his speech, saying the country needed to get “back on track” with Trump at the helm. He also referred to Trump numerous times as his hero.
He also took a swipe at his critics, challenging “crooked politicians” and criminals alike with his signature catchphrase: “Whatcha gonna do when Donald Trump and all the Trump-a-maniacs run wild on you, brother?”
The rallying cry was met with enthusiastic applause from the convention. At the end of the wrestler’s speech, Trump could be seen blowing a kiss to Hogan in appreciation.
While Hogan’s political aspirations have been a topic of discussion in the past, as he once expressed interest in being Trump’s running mate in 2015, the former WWE champion was firm in his appreciation of the Trump-Vance ticket this time around. Interestingly, Jesse Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota and ex-professional wrestler, expressed interest in the vice presidential position around that time as well, according to CBS.
Hogan has faced his share of controversies over the years. He was involved in a lawsuit against Gawker over a sex tape, which resulted in a multi-million dollar payout by the company that resulted in it eventually shutting down, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Additionally, he was temporarily removed from the WWE Hall of Fame following racially insensitive comments. Hogan later issued an apology and was reinstated.
During Trump’s speech later in the night, his first since the assassination attempt on July 13, he related an incident in which Hogan lifted a 350-pound man above his head in a wrestling match, and he thanked the wrestler for his support.