Dana White Spills on Exclusive Private Chat with Ex-President Barack Obama at Donald Trump’s Inauguration

Dana White finally broke his silence about something very private, which he had never shared with anyone.

It happened at Donald Trump’s second inauguration back in January 2025. The UFC Boss was seated directly behind the former presidents at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. However, the exclusive exchange only took place between him and Barack Obama. 

The best part? At that time, many folks online joked about White’s constant eyes on Obama, but the reasons he kept secret for eight months until now.

Dana White Speaks Out Against Presidents’ Ice-Cold Treatment

The inauguration took place on January 20 with the UFC boss behind Barack Obama and other ex-presidents of the United States. He was watching Trump take the oath for his second term as president.

The ceremony was closed-door and packed with many political heavyweights. Then something unexpected happened because Obama turned around.

“President Obama turned around, the only president that did, and shook my hand and said, ‘Congratulations on all your success,'” White revealed. “And I said, ‘Thank you very much, Mr. President.’ That’s what happened. I’ve never talked about that publicly.”

Obama was the only former president who acknowledged him. While George W. Bush and Bill Clinton didn’t give him a look, Obama broke the ice and that became a special moment for the 56-year-old.

The UFC CEO explained why he kept quiet for so long. He actually didn’t want people to spin the moment for politics. However, the 60 Minutes interview felt like the right platform for him to address it.

Dana White standing behind Obama, the Bushes, and the Clintons just mad dogging them 😂 pic.twitter.com/WwUtsgdoSB

— Jayse ☀️ (@Cosmic0rigins) January 20, 2025

He seemingly cleared up the “mad-dogging” rumors too. White wasn’t throwing any shade because the interaction was respectful on both sides. There was no beef and no tension at all.

This small detail shows how much White values respect over politics. Everyone knows he’s close to Trump, but he still showed respect to Obama when it counted.

Dana White Turns Big Loss Into Profit With Risky TV Play

The 60 Minutes crew then tagged along with White to the Bellagio in Las Vegas for a private baccarat session. He was gambling with $400,000 hands and went down $1.24 million at one point.

The cameras captured everything. White didn’t flinch and kept betting.

“I’m a sick, sick guy,” White admitted on camera. “That’s the only explanation I can give ya.”

Dana White goes down $1.2M in gambling but pulls it back and makes $700k profit

via 60 minutes pic.twitter.com/UwprCRhSHM

— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) September 29, 2025

Ten minutes later, he cashed out up $700,000. The turnaround was insane. White pulled off a $1.94 million swing in less time than a championship round.

ALSO READ: Security Nightmare Threatens Dana White’s White House UFC Show with Donald Trump at the Helm

The UFC boss has a history of wild gambling runs. He once won $1.1 million in minutes by hitting five of six baccarat bets correctly. Analysts said that had less than a 10% chance of happening.

White’s gambling style is just like how he runs his business. He takes big risks. Sometimes the returns come in a massive amount, while sometimes he loses a lot. But he never quits.