UFC CEO Reveals Why He Didn't Follow Orders To 'Get Down' During Correspondents' Dinner Shooting In Bizarre Interview

Of all the reactions to a shooting incident outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, UFC CEO Dana White’s stood out for just how out of step it was.

In an interview with USA Today, White recalled tables being “flipped over” as law enforcement rushed in and ordered those in the room—including President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Cabinet members—to “get down.” Seated near the head table alongside top administration officials, the longtime Trump ally said he ignored those instructions entirely.

White described his reaction inside the ballroom in terms more familiar to the Octagon than a black-tie dinner:

“I didn’t get down. It was f**king awesome. I literally took every minute of it in, and it was a pretty—pretty crazy unique experience.”

White has supported Trump for more than 20 years, a relationship rooted in the UFC’s early days that remains visible, from a joint appearance at UFC 327 in Miami earlier this month to plans for a fight on the White House’s South Lawn in less than two months.

You can catch his reaction here:

Other videos circulating on social media show White seated, looking around the room and moving his head side to side in the moments after the incident. Armed men are seen on the stage scanning the Washington Hilton ballroom, while Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were hurried off moments earlier by members of the U.S. Secret Service.

Here’s a video from the incident below:

White appeared more captivated than concerned, remaining seated as the scene unfolded. He told USA Today the law enforcement response initially led him to believe the shooter was near his table.

Public figures across the political spectrum tend to strike a familiar tone in the wake of violence: somber, restrained, and focused on safety. White’s characterization of the moment stood in sharp contrast to that playbook.

A sobbing Erika Kirk was also seen being ushered out of the Washington Hilton following the shooting. In footage shared by CNN’s Sara Sidner, Kirk hurried from the ballroom, visibly emotional and expressing a desire to leave.

You can view that moment below:

Kirk attended the event as a guest of Fox News. The network’s Bret Baier said he saw the former Miss Arizona “crying in the back hall, as you can imagine, after the assassination of her husband.”

Needless to say, critics on social media were quick to take issue with White’s account, including a UFC broadcaster on X who questioned whether it was the “best quote to give after being at a shooting.”

White’s remarks quickly drew backlash across social media:

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, said authorities believe the suspect traveled from California and attempted to enter the ballroom with the intent of targeting Trump administration officials.

Blanche detailed the suspect’s movements:

“The suspect traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago, and then Chicago to Washington, D.C., where he checked into the hotel where the correspondents’ dinner was at in the last day or two.”

Authorities have identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from Torrance, California. According to NBC News, Allen sent a note to family members shortly before the attack, apologizing to his parents, colleagues, students, and others for what he was about to do.

Allen, described as a teacher, engineer, and video game developer, is accused of targeting Trump administration officials in the shooting.