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The Daily Beast published a feature length article today titled “Trump’s WWE Buddies Are Deeply In Bed With Saudi Regime.” In the article, author Brandon Howard Thurston, describes the first event earlier this year in Saudi Arabia, the angle playing off of the Saudi Arabia-Iran tensions with the Daivari Brothers, and the financial ties between the McMahons and Donald Trump that could drive decision-making going forward regarding WWE’s live events in Saudi Arabia.
The following are ten key excerpts that show how this writer from a non-sports politically-oriented website framed the story…
“That WWE received a massive payment for its shows from the Saudis and that it has also been a massive contributor to the Trump Foundation suddenly have come under greater scrutiny.”
“Trump soon after his inauguration in 2017 made Linda McMahon, the former WWE President, two-time candidate for U.S. Senate, and wife of WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, the head of the Small Business Administration.”
“WWE’s public financial statements analyzed by The Daily Beast indicate the company received at least $40 million following the April event, way above most wrestling cards WWE puts on in the U.S.”
“Trump and the McMahon family that runs WWE are more than friendly. Trump hosted two WrestleManias in Atlantic City in 1988 and 1989. After Trump became a reality TV star, the McMahons teamed up with Trump again in 2007 for another WrestleMania and the ”Battle of the Billionaires.”
“WWE inducted Trump intotheir Hall of Fame in 2013.”
“Perhaps to compensate for another upcoming men-only event [in Saudi Arabia], WWE is holding its first-ever women-only event, five days earlier, on October 28 in Uniondale, New York.”
“Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and others have chronicled ongoing Saudi human rights violations, including imprisonment of critics, suppression of free speech, attacks on on LGBT people and airstrikes on civilians in Yemen. In August a Saudi airstrike on a school bus in Yemen killed at least 40 children.”
“Following ‘The Greatest Royal Rumble,’ commentator Corey Graves put up a cryptic Instagram post, writing, ‘A drink to remember that no matter how bad WE think we have it, at least our women have rights and we all have freedom of expression.’ That statement got him ‘heat’ with WWE officials, according to one report.”
“WWE reportedly chose not to bring Zayn to Jeddah ‘to respect the local culture in Saudi Arabia.’ The exact reason for Zayn’s absence from the event is unclear. … Zayn (real name Rami Sebei) is a Canadian of Syrian descent who’s been involved with humanitarian efforts in Syria, raising money to provide food, water, shelter and medical care for Syrians affected by the civil war in the country. … (H)e has also been a fierce critic of the Trump administration’s policies directed at average Muslims (as opposed to Saudi royals), including the infamous travel ban. ‘I can’t articulate how truly disgusted I am right now,’ he tweeted after Trump signed the initial order in January last year. Later he wrote, “The fear, hatred & division sold to us is a much bigger problem than our struggling brothers and sisters are. CHOOSE an open heart over anger.”
The article notes that WWE could easily move the Crown Jewel matches to Manchester, England two days later.
“Should WWE cancel its event in Jeddah, it’s possible they could reschedule the pay-per-view card for two days later on Sunday, November 4 in Manchester, England. The company is already scheduled to tape television in the Manchester Arena on following Monday and Tuesday. According to the venue’s website, the building is open on Sunday to make it a three-day run in Manchester. Doing so would allow WWE to put a positive spin on the news, giving the avid United Kingdom fan base its first pay-per-view event since 1992.”
CHECK OUT THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Trump’s WWE Buddies Are Deeply In Bed With Saudi Regime
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ALSO CHECK OUT OUR RECENT ARTICLE ON THIS TOPIC: Four U.S. senators now urging WWE to “pause” plans for the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia next month