Pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died Thursday in Florida at the age of 71 after being hospitalized in the morning for cardiac arrest, according to TMZ Sports.
Hogan, who revolutionized the world of wrestling and attracted interest in the sport that was ultimately dubbed “Hulkamania” in the 1980s, appeared at the Republican National Convention in July 2024 to endorse then-former President Donald Trump.
“As an entertainer, I try to stay out of politics,” Hogan said. “But after everything that’s happened to our country over the past four years, and everything that happened last weekend, I can no longer stay silent.”
“Let Trumpmania run wild, brother!” Hogan said. “Let Trumpmania rule again! Let Trumpmania make America great again!”
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Hulk Hogan, professional entertainer and wrestler, flexes his muscles as he speaks on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 18, 2024.
Hogan, who supported both former President Barack Obama and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney during their presidential bids, previously said he was undecided about who he would back in the 2024 election. However, after the assassination attempt on Trump in July 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania, Hogan said he knew who he’d cast his ballot for in the election.
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“When I saw him stand up with that fist in the air and the blood on his face — as a warrior, as a leader — I realized that’s what America needs,” Hogan said in an interview with Fox News in July 2024.
At the RNC, Hogan used similar language when describing Trump.
“I’ve been in the ring with some of the biggest, some of the baddest dudes on the planet,” Hogan said. “I know tough guys, but let me tell you something, brother, Donald Trump is the toughest of them all,” Hogan added.
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Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71.
No additional details on Hogan’s death were immediately available.
Multiple White House officials weighed in on Hogan’s death and recalled their admiration for the wrestling icon.
“Hulk Hogan was a great American icon,” Vice President JD Vance said in a Thursday post on X. “One of the first people I ever truly admired as a kid. The last time I saw him we promised we’d get beers together next time we saw each other. The next time will have to be on the other side, my friend! Rest in peace.”
White House Deputy Communications Director Kaelan Dorr said in a Thursday post on X: “Today we are all Hulkamaniacs.”
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields shared a post of Hogan on X Thursday and said, “Rest In Peace, BROTHER.”
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan is a two-time WWE Hall of Famer.
Meanwhile, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) characterized Hogan as one of pop culture’s “most recognizable figures” and expressed its condolences to Hogan’s family and friends following the news of his passing.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,” WWE said in a Thursday post on X. “One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”
Hogan’s tenure as a wrestling star took off when he joined the World Wrestling Federation, now WWE, in 1979. One of his most memorable moments as a wrestler was going up against Andre the Giant, where Hogan took down his 520-pound opponent in what became known as “the bodyslam heard around the world.”
Hogan is survived by his two children, Nick and Brooke, that he had with his first wife, Linda Claridge, and is also survived by his current wife, Sky Daily.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
Original article source: Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan once called Trump the ‘toughest of them all’ at Republican National Convention
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