Comedian Nate Bargatze is facing a wave of criticism from fans after he was spotted at the UFC Freedom 250 event held on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday, which coincided with President Trump’s 80th birthday and drew more than 4,000 attendees.
Mr. Bargatze, who has hosted “Saturday Night Live” twice, had largely escaped notice at the spectacle until Cheryl Hines — wife of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — posted a photo of the trio on Instagram, with Vice President J.D. Vance visible in the background.
Fans quickly flooded the comment section of Mr. Bargatze’s most recent Instagram post.
“I have seen you 4 times and now never again,” one wrote. “Ugh. Another one bites the dust. Bye, Nate,” another lamented. “I’m heartbroken that I can’t be a fan anymore,” a third declared.
Other critics went further. One X user who referred to him as “MAGANate” wrote that he used to enjoy the comedian but had since changed his opinion. A Threads user said he had sold back tickets to an upcoming show at half price after learning of the attendance.
A representative for Mr. Bargatze told HuffPost that the comedian “is not political nor is anything he produces” and described him as a “huge UFC fan” who has followed the sport “since before it became political.” The spokesperson said Mr. Bargatze has fans “from both sides of the aisle” and has appeared on both “The View” and “Fox and Friends” to promote his film “The Breadwinner,” adding that he “went last night to enjoy a sport he loves.”
According to a source close to the comedian, Mr. Bargatze discussed his attendance with his team beforehand — aware that the appearance would be interpreted as a political statement — but decided to go anyway. The explanation did little to satisfy some critics. “You are over. ’Not political’ does not fly anymore. Sorry bro,” one Instagram user wrote.
Mr. Bargatze, whose current stand-up tour is projected to sell 2 million tickets, was joined at the event by MAGA-aligned comedian Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis. Mr. Bargatze has long maintained that he avoids politics in his act. In a 2024 interview, he told The Washington Post that while he “actually enjoys politics,” he keeps them out of his comedy because it is not what audiences come to him for.
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