ERIC TRUMP DENIES SCREENSHOTS OF UFC RIGGING QUERY ARE AUTHENTIC

Eric Trump stated that screenshots allegedly showing a conversation with UFC commentator Daniel Cormier, in which an account claiming to belong to Trump asked whether fights at a White House event would be rigged, were fabricated. Cormier initially shared the screenshots on X before deleting the post. Trump described the images as "AI-generated" and "fake", stating he had never contacted Cormier and calling the situation "scary".

Cormier, a former UFC light-heavyweight and heavyweight champion who provided commentary at the White House event, subsequently appeared to distance himself from the authenticity of the posts by writing "are people this dumb?", to which Trump responded "thanks Daniel". The exchange took place ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House's South Lawn on Sunday. The event coincided with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and formed part of celebrations marking 250 years of American independence.

Eric Trump, executive vice-president of his father's administration, attended the event in Washington DC. The BBC has requested comment from the UFC regarding the incident. The screenshots' deletion by Cormier and subsequent statements from both individuals suggest dispute over the posts' legitimacy.