Jesse Ventura has disclosed that he nearly stepped away from the WWE Hall of Fame after Donald Trump’s induction in 2013.
The former wrestler and Minnesota governor said Trump’s inclusion left him furious and questioning the criteria for entry.
Ventura’s comments have revived discussion about how Trump earned his place in WWE history.
Ventura challenges Trump’s Hall of Fame status
Jesse Ventura said he was “very angry” when Donald Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. He compared Trump’s credentials with the physical grind endured by career wrestlers.
Ventura argued that Trump’s induction stemmed from his financial ties to WWE rather than his in-ring achievements.
“He’s in the wrestling Hall of Fame. I’m angry. Very angry and here’s why. Do you know how you get into the Hall of Fame? You do what I had to do.”
“Do you know what I did one time? True story. I wrestled 63 consecutive nights in a row without a day off. There are people who would destroy that. There are guys who did even more than that. That’s how you get into the Hall of Fame.”
“You know why he got in? Because he provided two buildings where he probably made millions renting them to WWE for WrestleMania. For that, Vince McMahon puts him in the Hall of Fame? It’s a disgrace.”
Trump’s longstanding connection to WWE
Trump Plaza in Atlantic City hosted WrestleMania 4 and WrestleMania 5, marking the beginning of Trump’s prominent association with WWE.
Trump and Vince McMahon, the former chairman and owner of WWE, developed a close friendship over the years.
The two later collaborated on the “Hair vs. Hair” match at WrestleMania 23 in 2007, a featured attraction that set pay-per-view records at the time.
Trump was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. Ventura said he came close to publicly resigning over the decision.
“I’ve almost gone public and said I’m resigning from the Hall of Fame because Trump is in it and he doesn’t qualify. Like everything he does, he’s not qualified,” Ventura said.
The remarks reflect Ventura’s continued frustration with Trump’s inclusion and the standards applied to Hall of Fame honorees.
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