A billionaire family is said to be “freaking out” after Trump’s big UFC bash.
The daughter of Paul Tudor Jones II performed the national anthem as part of the Zac Brown Band at the Freedom 250 event on Sunday.
Jones is a co-founder of the Robin Hood Foundation, the largest anti-poverty philanthropic organization in New York City. His daughter’s performance has caused a problem because the family is close buddies with the Obamas.
After winning the fourth fight at the organized bloodbath, a star-spangled bandanna wrapped around his head, 28-year-old Californian Josh Hokit held the microphone from commentator Joe Rogan and delivered a vile slur: “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”
The family is now having a “bit of a family freaking out” about Jones, 35, performing at the heavily MAGA-coded event, a source told Page Six.
“The family is trying to figure out how to navigate this, especially the Michelle slur,” another told the same outlet, which said it had been informed that so far Caroline has been told to “be quiet about it and not post.”
“[Their] Obama friendship is really important to them,” they added.
Jones, 71, has been tight with the Obamas for some time, throwing a 500-person benefit at his house in 2007 that raised $750,000 for Obama’s first presidential campaign.
One source told the outlet that the two families had taken vacations together, despite Jones supporting Mitt Romney during the 2012 election cycle and reportedly giving $200,000 to a super PAC.
His wife Sonia, however, used actor Sarah Jessica Parker’s home to throw a $40,000-per-person event to raise money for Obama in the same cycle.
“Obama-Romney matchup pits husband vs. wife,” read a Politico article at the time.
Another source took a more measured approach, telling Page Six that there was “concern” but that they wouldn’t call it a “freak out.”
The Daily Beast has contacted representatives for Paul Tudor Jones II for comment.
Trump ally and UFC boss Dana White later denounced Hokit’s vile comments about the former first lady in a statement to Time.
“I understand that the Obamas are public figures, but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families,” the 56-year-old said. “Everyone knows my position on free speech, but I hate that kind of nonsense.”
Artist Zac Brown said he performed due to “patriotism, not politics.”
The political nature of Trump’s events this summer has, however, led some artists to get cold feet.
The opening concert of Trump’s America 250 celebrations, to mark the signing of the Declaration of Independence, saw six of the nine acts pull out, with several citing fears of polarization. It led to the concert being called off.
Meanwhile, at the celebration’s National State Fair, Oregon also pulled out, with state spokesperson Luke Harkin saying, “The State of Oregon will not be participating in the Great American State Fair due to both the cost of participating in the Fair and growing concerns that the event in Washington, D.C., is shaping up to be a more partisan affair than originally presented.”
