“Nobody Believed It Could Happen”: WWE Star’s Wild Plan to Put Donald Trump Back on RAW Gets Shut Down Instantly
The worlds of professional wrestling and real-world politics have always been strange bedfellows, but one former World Champion had a plan to blur the lines in a way that even Vince McMahon found too hot to handle.
While Donald Trump’s history with WWE is well-documented—from hosting WrestleMania to shaving Vince McMahon’s head and even securing a spot in the Celebrity Wing of the Hall of Fame—he hasn’t been a fixture in storylines for years. But according to a new revelation, that almost changed in a very unconventional way back in 2015.
As Trump was launching his first presidential campaign, a former titleholder saw the perfect opportunity to bring the political circus into the squared circle.
The “Real American” Pitch That Was Deemed Too Risky
In a recent interview on TMZ’s Inside the Ring, Jake Hager—best known to fans as Jack Swagger—revealed that he walked into Vince McMahon’s office with a bold concept. Hager, alongside his manager at the time, Dutch Mantell, pitched an idea to create a larger-than-life character directly inspired by the Republican candidate.
The plan was simple but provocative: Hager and Mantell would adopt the mannerisms, speech patterns, and over-the-top confidence of Donald Trump on WWE television. They envisioned portraying a “presidential” ticket, with Hager acting as the candidate and Mantell as his running mate, mocking the entire political process.
Hager thought it was a surefire way to generate heat and national attention. He even joked to McMahon that he could later claim he was responsible for helping elect the businessman-turned-politician.
McMahon’s response was immediate and firm. He told Hager to steer clear of the idea entirely, shutting it down before it could even get off the ground. The WWE Chairman wanted no part of mixing a heated political campaign with his product at that moment.
While the pitch never made it to air, it’s just another chapter in the complicated history between Trump and the wrestling world. That history remains a point of contention today, with Hall of Famers like Jesse Ventura publicly criticizing Trump’s 2013 induction, stating it diminishes the honor for the wrestlers who dedicated their lives to the business.
