Nobody saw it coming, and yet, it made perfect sense. When Terry Bollea—the man the world knows as Hulk Hogan—stepped onto the stage at the 2024 Republican National Convention, he didn't just give a speech. He performed. He ripped his shirt down the middle, muscles bulging at 70 years old, to reveal a Trump-Vance tank top underneath.
The crowd went absolutely nuclear.
For anyone who grew up in the 80s, it was a trip. You had the quintessential American icon from the Golden Era of wrestling endorsing a man who had basically become the most polarizing figure in modern political history. But if you look at the history, this wasn't some random celebrity pivot. Being a hulk hogan trump supporter wasn't a phase; it was the final act of a 35-year friendship that survived scandals, lawsuits, and the total transformation of the American political landscape.
The Atlantic City Connection: Where It All Started
People forget that Donald Trump and Hulk Hogan go way back. We aren't talking about "met at a party once" back. We're talking about the gritty, neon-soaked days of Atlantic City in the late 1980s.
In 1988 and 1989, Trump hosted WrestleMania IV and V at his Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. Back then, Hogan was the undisputed king of the ring. He remembers Trump sitting ringside, watching him bleed and sweat for the title. Honestly, it’s kinda wild to think about. While the rest of the world saw a real estate mogul and a wrestler, they saw two guys who understood the exact same thing: the power of the brand.
Hogan often told a story about winning the world title while "bleeding like a pig" right in front of Trump. That shared history of "show business" created a bond that most people didn't realize existed until it hit the mainstream news cycle decades later.
A Surprising Shift in Politics
You'd think Hogan was always a die-hard Republican, right? Wrong.
Actually, Hogan’s political history is a bit of a mixed bag. He actually supported Barack Obama early on. He even gave Mitt Romney a nod in 2012. It wasn't until the 2016 election cycle that he really started leaning into the Trump camp. Even then, he mostly stayed on the sidelines, occasionally joking to TMZ that he’d love to be Trump’s running mate. "Vice President Hogan" has a certain ring to it, but it obviously didn't happen.
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The real turning point? It was the summer of 2024.
The Moment Everything Changed in Butler
What really solidified Hogan’s role as a public-facing hulk hogan trump supporter was the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Hogan later admitted in interviews, specifically with Fox News, that he had tried to stay out of the fray. He wanted to be the "entertainer" who stayed neutral. But seeing Trump stand up with a fist in the air and blood on his face changed things for him. He saw it as a "warrior" moment.
"When they took a shot at my hero... enough was enough," Hogan yelled during his RNC appearance.
That was the catalyst. It turned a private friendship into a full-blown political crusade. He stopped being Terry Bollea and started being the Hulkster for MAGA.
"Trumpamania" and the RNC Spectacle
The 2024 RNC speech is now the stuff of internet legend. Hogan didn't just talk about policy—honestly, he barely mentioned it. He talked about "Trumpites" and "Trumpamania." He used the same cadence he used to use when he was threatening André the Giant or Randy Savage.
He called Trump the "toughest of them all."
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He listed off the investigations, the court cases, and the impeachments, framing Trump as the ultimate underdog who keeps "kicking their butts." It was a classic wrestling promo, just moved to a political stage. For his critics, it was a circus. For his fans, it was the most authentic moment of the entire convention.
The Madison Square Garden Encore
Hogan didn't stop at the RNC. In October 2024, he showed up at the massive Trump rally at Madison Square Garden. This time, he added a red and yellow feathered boa to the mix. He was leaning into the nostalgia hard.
He asked the crowd the same questions he's been asking for forty years, but with a twist:
- What are you going to do about the border?
- What are you going to do about inflation?
- Who is going to make America great again?
It was clear that Hogan had found a new "ring" to compete in. He was all in.
Complexity and Controversy
We have to be real here: Hogan’s support wasn't without its critics. Both men have had their fair share of scandals. Hogan faced massive backlash years ago for a leaked audio recording containing racist language—an incident he apologized for, calling it "unacceptable."
There was also the Gawker lawsuit. Interestingly, that lawsuit was partially funded by billionaire Peter Thiel, who was also a major donor for JD Vance. The world of high-stakes litigation and politics is smaller than you think.
Critics argued that Hogan’s support was just two "old school" celebrities sticking together. But for the people in the stands, it felt like a return to a specific kind of American pride they felt they’d lost.
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The Final Chapter
Sadly, the world lost the Hulkster on July 24, 2025. He was 71. He had spent his final months as one of the most visible celebrity surrogates for the Trump administration.
When he passed, Trump didn't hold back on the praise. He posted on Truth Social, calling Hogan "MAGA all the way." He described him as strong and smart, but with "the biggest heart."
Hogan’s journey from a wrestling ring in Atlantic City to the stage of the RNC is a wild story of loyalty and branding. He lived the American Dream, lost a lot of it, and fought his way back into the spotlight.
Understanding the Hogan-Trump Legacy
If you're looking for the "why" behind this alliance, it basically comes down to three things:
- Shared Roots: Both men are products of the 1980s "winner-take-all" culture.
- The Underdog Narrative: Hogan viewed Trump’s legal battles through the lens of a wrestling storyline where the hero gets beat down only to make a massive comeback.
- Cultural Identity: Hogan represented a specific "Real American" archetype that resonated perfectly with Trump’s base.
What to do with this information:
If you want to understand the modern intersection of celebrity and politics, look at the archival footage of WrestleMania IV and compare it to the 2024 RNC speech. Notice the similarities in how both men use "the crowd" to build momentum. It’s a masterclass in performative loyalty. To see the full impact, you can search for the "Trumpites running wild" clip—it perfectly encapsulates the energy Hogan brought to the 2024 campaign.