Donald Trump Says He Put ‘Big Russia Meeting’ on Hold to Appear in Hulk Hogan Doc

In the new Hulk Hogan docuseries, Hulk Hogan: Real American, celebrities, top-tier wrestlers, filmmakers, and sports authorities step up to the mic to talk about Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, the man behind the red and yellow who died in July 2025. A divisive figure who helped elevate professional wrestling into a mainstream global spectacle, Hogan’s legacy is explored from every angle. But one person who makes a surprise appearance that viewers likely were not expecting is the current president of the United States, Donald Trump.

In Episode 2, titled “Hulkamania,” the docuseries explores the rise of Hulk Hogan as a celebrity and the mainstream acceptance of wrestling, as events like WrestleMania became star-studded affairs. “It was like John Lennon or Paul McCartney in their heyday,” said manager Jimmy Hart. “People just came out of the woodwork.”

Donald Trump, who was just a mere mogul and businessman at the time, attended WrestleMania III in 1988, which featured the high-profile match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. “It’s an honor,” he said at the time. “Everyone in the country wanted this event.” Later, Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. would host WrestleMania IV, featuring Randy “Macho Man” Savage and “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase.

After WrestleMania III, the two became fast friends, and as a surprising addition to the docuseries, President Trump sat down in front of cameras to talk about his friend, Hulk Hogan. In 2025, Hogan had appeared on Trump’s behalf at the Republican National Convention, showing his support during the campaign. According to director Bryan Storkel, Hogan personally convinced Trump to participate through phone calls to the White House before his death, which Storkel described as a “nice little surprise” arranged directly by Hogan, according to TMZ.

“So, you go ahead, if you’re ready,” Trump tells the director. “I have a big Russia meeting going on, so…”

“Somehow, I became friendly with Hulk over there, the Hulkster. He’s a good man. He’s just a nice guy. He asked me, ‘Would you do this interview?’ I said, ‘Why not?’ Here we are in the White House,” said Trump.

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“I’ve seen him numerous times. I’ve watched him wrestle numerous times,” continued Trump. “We sort of had a good relationship early on. It was a good chemistry. He’s just a big, strong guy whose got a good heart. He’s a very loyal person.”

According to Bryan Storkel and reports, the interview reflects a unique convergence of politics and pop culture. The docuseries traces the decades-long friendship between Donald Trump and Hulk Hogan, which dates back to the 1980s. Later in his career, as Hogan became more openly supportive of Trump, many of his followers were divided in their response. “He never expressed regret. He stood by who he was,” Bryan Storkel, the director of Netflix’s upcoming documentary on the late wrestler, said Storkel to Fox News.

“It was amazing to watch this guy work,” said Hogan of Trump in the docuseries. “I’d heard a lot about him, but this was the first time I ever saw him in action, in person.”

Hulk Hogan: Real American, Steaming Now, Netflix