WWE, Trump, and Heat

With WrestleMania 41 set to light up Las Vegas on April 19–20, WWE’s Paul “Triple H” Levesque has stepped into the headlines outside the ring and this time, it’s for praising former U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a recent interview on the Flagrant podcast, Levesque referred to Trump as a “genius” and praised his natural showmanship. The remark quickly reignited conversation about WWE’s historic and controversial — relationship with the former president.

Trump’s connection to the world of wrestling isn’t casual. He’s been part of WWE programming since the early 2000s, including a memorable showdown with Vince McMahon at WrestleMania 23. Though he hasn’t appeared on WWE TV since 2013, his influence looms large. These days, Trump is often spotted at UFC events — the WWE’s sibling under TKO Group Holdings—signaling his continued affinity for the spectacle of combat sports.

The Trump-WWE link also runs through Levesque’s own family. His wife, Stephanie McMahon, is the daughter of Linda and Vince McMahon. Linda, a key Trump ally and major Republican donor, served in his cabinet as head of the Small Business Administration. She was even considered for a higher-profile role before Trump ultimately chose another candidate.

While Levesque typically avoids political commentary, he broke his silence on the podcast, saying: “I think he likes generating heat the way he does. It’s amazing and it’s genius and it worked in our business.”

The timing of his remarks comes just weeks after WWE faced backlash at its Elimination Chamber event in Toronto, where the U.S. national anthem was loudly booed by the crowd — a moment many saw as a reaction to Trump-era political tensions.

With WrestleMania just days away, Levesque’s comments have cast a fresh spotlight on the longstanding crossover between wrestling, politics, and personality. And once again, the lines between entertainment and real-world influence are getting blurred — just the way Trump and WWE have always liked it.