When Trump Hosted WrestleMania

Will WrestleMania be hosted at the White House within the next four years? It’s highly unlikely, but WWE’s biggest event has already been hosted by Donald Trump on two previous occasions.

WrestleMania IV and WrestleMania V (in 1988 and 1989, respectively) were both officially hosted in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, although the venue was referred to as Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino on both broadcasts. This is the first and (currently) only time that WrestleMania has been hosted at the same venue in consecutive years.

Both WrestleMania events featured iconic superstars like Andre The Giant, Bret Hart and Ted DiBiase, although WrestleMania V is probably more well-known for featuring the infamous “The Mega-Powers Explode” confrontation between Hulk Hogan and ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage.

Donald Trump’s impact on WrestleMania can still be seen today. To help convince the WWE to bring the event to Atlantic City, Trump put together a weekend of events which would eventually shape WWE’s own WrestleMania Fan Axxess events. Outside of WrestleMania itself, Trump Plaza hosted a series of meet and greets, dinners, and even a 5k race.

“Everybody in the country wanted this event, and we were able to get it, and that’s a great honour for Trump and for Atlantic City,” said Trump at a press conference for the event.

Trump’s affiliation with WrestleMania didn’t end there though. He appeared on camera at WrestleMania VII and XX (giving a brief interview both times), and was also famously involved in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23, where his champion Bobby Lashley defeated Vince McMahon’s champion Umaga.

Trump even purchased Monday Night Raw on one occasion as part of a storyline, although this was quickly reversed when WWE’s actual stock price plummeted, following the fake announcement.

In 2013, Donald Trump’s various accomplishments with the WWE saw him inducted into the Celebrity Wing of the WWE Hall Of Fame. Of course, he’s now part of an even more exclusive club - he’s the only U.S President to ever be a WWE Hall of Famer.

And it all started with Trump Plaza and WrestleMania IV.