Nate Bargatze Faces Fan Revolt After Showing Up at Trump's White House UFC Event
Comedian Nate Bargatze may have thought he was just attending a UFC event, but his appearance at President Donald Trump's White House birthday celebration has landed him at the center of a growing fan backlash.
Actress Cheryl Hines, the wife of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., posted a photo with Bargatze at the event, prompting criticism from some fans who accused the comedian of aligning himself with the MAGA movement.
However, his representative told The Huffington Post that Bargatze "is not political, nor is anything he produces. He is also a huge UFC fan and has been since before it became political," adding that he was simply there to promote his new movie Breadwinner and "he went last night to enjoy a sport he loves."
That explanation may not be enough for some fans. Many took to Threads to criticize his appearance at the event, with several expressing surprise that he attended.
"Nate Bargatze was by far the most shocking and disappointing attendee for me. One of my favorite comedians and a genuinely decent guy. Dude should have known how bad it would look," one person shared.
Another commenter shared a list of celebrities, including Bill Cosby, James Franco, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and others, adding Bargatze's name and writing, "I never suspected…"
Others took issue with the comedian's reported apolitical stance.
"Nate Bargatze can support Trump. Nate Bargatze can attend Trump's White House UFC party. Nate Bargatze can pose for photos with political figures," one person posted. "What Nate Bargatze can't do is all of those things and then pull the 'I'm not political' card like we're all f-king idiots."
Bargatze has long maintained that he avoids politics in his comedy. In a 2017 interview with the Nashville Scene, he explained why.
"I don't talk about politics, and a huge part of it is just because there's enough people doing it. It is on every television show, late-night show. No one's complaining they can't find enough opinions on what's going on. I've never talked about it, I'm not smart enough to talk about it. I just leave it alone and hope to be people's break. It's hard to even get a break anymore, because sports are now getting political - no one can go anywhere without it being some kind of message or something."
For his part, Bargatze has yet to publicly address the controversy. His most recent Threads post, published June 1, promoted Breadwinner, while his Instagram account has continued to focus on stand-up, including recent tour content and positive fan reactions shared to his Instagram Story.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 7:25 AM.