WWE legend steps away citing concerns over Trump ties

December 17, 2025 Oliver Obel

Mick Foley, one of professional wrestling’s most recognisable figures, has announced that he will no longer work with WWE while Donald Trump remains in political office, saying the company’s relationship with the former president no longer aligns with his values.

Foley, a WWE Hall of Famer best known for portraying Cactus Jack, Mankind and Dude Love, said he informed WWE talent relations earlier this week that he would stop making appearances for the company. He also confirmed that he will not renew his Legends contract when it expires in June.

The decision follows months of growing unease, Foley said, over what he views as WWE’s closeness to Trump and the tone of the former president’s public rhetoric. That discomfort intensified after Trump commented publicly on the death of filmmaker Rob Reiner.

Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead at their Los Angeles home on Sunday. Police later arrested their son, Nick Reiner, on suspicion of murder, according to law enforcement statements. When asked about the filmmaker, Trump told reporters that Reiner had been “very bad for our country” and earlier wrote on Truth Social that the death was linked to what he called “Trump derangement syndrome.”

Writing on his personal Instagram account, Foley said those remarks marked a turning point.

He wrote that reading the president’s comments following Reiner’s death was “the final straw,” after months of concern about WWE’s political associations. Foley added that he no longer wished to represent a company that, in his view, “coddles a man so seemingly void of compassion.”

Foley confirmed that his decision means an immediate end to WWE-related appearances for as long as Trump remains in office. While stressing his affection for the promotion, he said he felt compelled to draw a line, thanking WWE for the opportunities it gave him before quoting Popeye: “I stands all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more.”

WWE has maintained public ties to Trump over several decades. Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, and members of the McMahon family have held prominent political roles. Earlier this year, WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque appeared alongside Trump at the White House during the signing of an executive order related to sports, fitness and nutrition.

Foley has previously questioned how some figures within the wrestling industry support Trump, but his latest move marks the most concrete step he has taken in response. Widely regarded as one of wrestling’s most influential performers, Foley is a former multi-time world champion and has held numerous tag team titles across WWE, ECW and TNA.

Sources: Statements from Mick Foley on Instagram, WWE statements