Donald Trump and his new friend Elon Musk were spotted sipping on a Prime energy drink while sitting cageside at UFC 309 on Saturday night.
All eyes are on the president-elect, 78, following his emphatic victory in the US election earlier this month, with the republican nominee defeating Democrat rival Kamala Harris to win a second term in the White House.
He is a known sports fan, particularly combat, and left his Mar-a-Lago base for New York City this weekend to enjoy the UFC’s latest show at Madison Square Garden.
While sitting in the front row alongside Musk, fans quickly spotted Trump tucking into some complimentary Prime, the viral energy drink that has been banned in multiple countries.
The hydration brand, which is owned by social media stars KSI and Logan Paul, has had a controversial two-year existence, but now sponsors many high-profile sporting events and is on supermarket shelves around the world.
It is banned in schools and to children in some countries, though, due to the elevated levels of caffeine it contains.
Donald Trump (left) and Elon Musk (right) were spotted drinking popular beverage Prime
Trump and Musk were both in attendance at Madison Square Garden to watch UFC 309
The duo sat cageside as they enjoyed the event put on by friend Dana White in New York
Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands are among the countries to have restricted sales of Prime following its release in 2022.
In the US, senator Chuck Schumer previously urged the US Food and Drug Administration to investigate Prime dur to its caffeine content and ‘unclear marketing’, claiming that parents were buying their children ‘a cauldron of caffeine’.
On Saturday night, KSI took to X to share the video of Trump drinking his product, captioning it, quite simply: ‘W Trump.’
Musk, meanwhile, was spotted drinking the lemon lime flavor, to which KSI replied: ‘W Elon.’
Prime is the official hydration partner of the UFC, and was featured on branding around the cage at Madison Square Garden.
Trump was seen reaching forward for the Prime hydration Ice Pop flavor, which is one of the brand’s most popular lines. He took a sip while holding conversation with Musk.
The president-elect’s drinking habits have come under attention after Robert F Kennedy Jr, the newly-elected health secretary, revealed just days ago that Trump never drinks water and has a fast food diet that is like ‘poison’.
After dropping his own presidential ambitions to endorse Trump, Kennedy Jr said on the Joe Polish show: ‘The stuff that he eats is really, like, bad,’ he said.
‘Campaign food is always bad, but the food that goes onto that airplane is, like, just poison. You have a choice between- you don’t have the choice, you’re either given KFC or Big Macs. That’s, like, when you’re lucky, and then the rest of the stuff I consider kind of inedible.’
He added: ‘I was with Dana White the other day. He’s very close to Trump, they’ve had a relationship for 20 years through UFC.
‘He said that sometimes he’ll sit through a fight with Trump — and he’s [there for] five hours [during] the fight, and said he has never seen Trump drink a glass of water. Never.’
Prime was founded and is owned by social media stars KSI (left) and Logan Paul (right)
KSI took to social media – Musk’s X – to share his thoughts on the videos being shared online
Trump was in a good mood inside The Garden for the event. As Village People’s YMCA blasted out the sound system inside the arena, Trump took it upon himself to have a dance, and was seen punching the air to the chorus in what was just the start of the events that unfolded.
The dance, which he has become famous for, lasted a brief few seconds, as onlookers laughed and clapped in approval of the moves.
He was then interrupted by another famous face of the combat game in WWE chief Triple H, who was also at the event watching on and approached the president-elect.
Triple H has been in charge of WWE ever since Vince McMahon’s departure, and has seen a merger with the UFC under umbrella company TKO, which took place in September last year.
He approached Trump and shook his hand, before the two ‘dapped’ – touched shoulders – and engaged in conversation.
It then became a three-way chat with Rogan, the podcast host who arguably helped the president-elect return to the White House. Rogan famously gave his endorsement to the Republican nominee earlier this month following a pair of popular podcast interviews with Elon Musk and Trump.
But that wasn’t all for Trump’s involvement with the stars. When Jones won the main event by knocking out Stipe Miocic, he singled out Trump in his celebrations.
Jones, whose future is unclear at the conclusion of the bout despite the veteran being the heavyweight champion, celebrated with ‘the Trump dance’ – recreating the boogie that has been associated with Trump.
Trump spoke to several fighters at the event, including Jon Jones, who won the main event
He held Jones’ heavyweight title ringside after main event as others watched on and cheered
He pointed at the president-elect and put his thumb up in his direction as Trump clapped and nodded in approval.
After leaving the cage, Jones made his way over to where Trump was sitting and handed him his heavyweight belt.
Jones then cheered, with Musk also putting his fists in the air and clapping Jones’ performance.
Trump then did his best to raise the belt, before shaking the hand of Jones, who bowed in the direction of his new president-elect, with the duo exchanging a few words.
