Wrestling legend Mick Foley parts ways with WWE over its Trump ties, cites Rob Reiner remarks as ‘final straw’
Legendary pro wrestler Mick Foley announced Tuesday he’s done with World Wrestling Entertainment for at least three years, citing the company’s close ties to Donald Trump and the president’s “incredibly cruel comments in the wake of Rob Reiner’s death.”
Foley told his 633,000 Instagram followers that he informed WWE on Monday that he “would not be making any appearances for the company as long as this man remains in office.”
“I no longer wish to represent a company that coddles a man so seemingly void of compassion as he marches our country towards autocracy,” Foley wrote.
The “final straw” came Monday, when Trump mocked and belittled Reiner, the beloved Hollywood director who was found dead in his Los Angeles home Sunday afternoon.
Reiner and his wife appeared to have died from stab wounds, a family source has told NBC News.
Foley wrote: “While I have been concerned about WWE’s close relationship with Donald Trump for several months — especially in light of his administration’s ongoing cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants (and pretty much anyone who ‘looks like an immigrant’) — reading the President’s incredibly cruel comments in the wake of Rob Reiner’s death is the final straw for me.”
Trump has had a long, close relationship with WWE, famously feuding on screen with former company CEO Vince McMahon.
Linda McMahon, Vince McMahon’s wife, is Trump’s education secretary and headed the Small Business Administration in Trump’s first term. Former WWE wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the McMahons’ son-in-law and current chief content officer of the company, has also appeared at the White House alongside Trump.
Foley wrestled under his name and the personas of Cactus Jack, Dude Love and Mankind.
His characters were remarkably diverse: The brawler Mankind and his sock puppet, Mr. Socko; the tie-dye-wearing Dude Love; wild man Cactus Jack from Truth or Consequences, New Mexico; and Foley, the courageous grappler who flew high over the canvas, like his role model Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka.
Foley was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, part of the class that included Trump.
A representative for WWE could immediately by reached for comment Tuesday.
“I want to state publicly that while I’ve always liked him, he has just become my favorite person in the world,” legendary WWE manager Jim Cornette said in a statement about Foley.
“I wish all the boys had his backbone and, more importantly, his morals.”
Nigel Chiwaya contributed.
