Lip reader deciphers private conversation between Trump and Joe Rogan at UFC 309: ‘I won’t forget it’
President-elect Donald Trump and Joe Rogan were all smiles when they reunited at UFC 309 on Saturday, and their intimate conversation was revealed by an expert lip reader.
This glimpse into how the men feel about each other comes after Rogan featured Trump on his podcast last month and later endorsed him thanks to some convincing from Elon Musk, who is himself a close ally of Trump.
Jeremy Freeman, a certified lip reading expert, evaluated the images of the short conversation between the fighter turned podcaster and the businessman turned politician.
Based on the affable body language alone, you might assume the interaction between the two men was fluid, but the added words add a whole new dimension to their relationship.
It starts when Trump approached the UFC broadcast team, including Rogan.
Trump said “there he is” before pronouncing a long “J,” Freeman told DailyMail.com. He then headed to Rogan.
After shaking hands with commentator Jon Anik, Trump hugged Rogan and spoke directly into his ear. Due to the camera angle, it was impossible for Freeman to decipher what was being said.
After the two broke their embrace, Rogan responded, “Sure, absolutely fine, very happy,” according to Freeman’s analysis.
President-elect Donald Trump and Joe Rogan smile at each other as they are about to embrace. UFC commentator Jon Anik is seen standing behind Trump
UFC commentator and former MMA fighter Daniel Cormier (left) joined the friendly conversation between Trump and Rogan. Trump apparently said to Cormier, “Isn’t Joe great?”
The “very much” part could indicate that Trump thanked Rogan for the invitation to the Joe Rogan Experience.
The groundbreaking episode aired less than two weeks before Election Day and has been viewed more than 50 million times, a feat that certainly expanded Trump’s reach across the country.
When Trump addressed the third commentator on the panel, Daniel Cormier, he reportedly said, “Isn’t Joe great?”
Cormier, a former MMA fighter, said, “Oh yeah, he is,” Freeman said.
Rogan appeared to say “thank you.”
Jeremy Freeman, a certified lip reading expert, evaluated the video of Donald Trump and Joe Rogan at UFC 309
Seconds later, Trump and Rogan hugged again and resumed their conversation. With the back of his head turned toward the camera, Trump’s words were again obscured.
As they shook hands again, Freeman believes Rogan said to Trump, “Thank you… I won’t forget, thank you.”
Trump’s appearance at last night’s UFC event marked his first return to Madison Square Garden since his controversial meeting there with insult comedian Tony Hinchcliffe.
During his speech, Hinchcliffe joked that Puerto Rico was a “floating island of trash,” causing a bipartisan panic among Democrats and Republicans in Florida, who have one of the largest Puerto Rican constituencies in the country.
Trump is pictured with campaign donor and confidante Elon Musk and his longtime friend Dana White, the CEO of UFC
Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump, Mike Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy appear at UFC 309
Eric Trump, Mike Johnson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard watch at UFC 309
Some even worried the joke would hurt Trump in the all-important state of Pennsylvania, which, like Florida, has a huge Puerto Rican voting population.
Trump won Pennsylvania and managed to expand his appeal to Latino voters despite the celebrity social media firestorm against Hinchcliffe.
Trump arrived at New York City’s famed arena with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elon Musk and Dana White, the CEO of UFC and a longtime friend of the president-elect.
Others from Trump’s inner circle were also in attendance, including his appointee at the Department of Government Efficiency, Vivek Ramaswamy.
Donald Trump Jr. and his brother Eric were spotted behind their father’s entourage.
Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard and House Speaker Mike Johnson were also spotted in the crowd.
Fans went wild for the president-elect, who performed his YMCA dance for the delighted crowd and was also greeted with a tribute video congratulating him on his election victory.
