In a significant move that has rocked the professional wrestling community, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has publicly announced his departure from the company. The wrestling legend cited the organization's close association with former United States President Donald Trump as the primary reason for his exit.
The Final Straw: Trump's Controversial Comments
Foley confirmed his decision in a statement released on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. He pointed specifically to recent remarks made by Trump following the tragic deaths of filmmaker Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele Singer, 68. The couple was found dead at their Los Angeles home earlier that week, with their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, taken into custody in connection with the incident.
In response to the news, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, where he claimed Reiner suffered from what he called "Trump Derangement Syndrome." The former president wrote that Reiner "passed away reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease." These comments sparked immediate and widespread condemnation.
A Growing Unease Leads to a Final Break
Foley, a multiple-time world champion famous for his personas Mankind, Cactus Jack, and Dude Love, revealed that his discomfort with WWE's ties to Trump had been building for months. He expressed concern over the administration's policies and rhetoric, particularly regarding immigrants.
"Reading the President's incredibly cruel comments in the wake of Rob Reiner's death is the final straw for me," Foley wrote in a detailed Facebook post. "I no longer wish to represent a company that coddles a man so seemingly void of compassion as he marches our country towards autocracy."
He emphasized that his decision was directly linked to Trump's "ongoing cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants and pretty much anyone who looks like an immigrant."
Professional Consequences and Lasting Legacy
Foley has taken concrete steps to formalize his departure. He confirmed that he has informed WWE talent relations he will not make any further appearances for the company while Trump remains in office. Furthermore, he stated he will not renew his Legends contract when it expires in June 2026.
Despite this strong stance, Foley was careful to express his enduring affection for WWE itself. "I love WWE, will always treasure my time with them, and I am deeply appreciative for all the opportunities they afforded me," he said. He concluded his statement with a nod to the cartoon sailor Popeye: "I stands all I can stands and I can't stands no more."
Foley's most recent WWE appearance was in 2023, when he featured on an episode of NXT to announce participants for the Iron Survivor Challenge matches.
The relationship between Trump and WWE is long-standing, featuring:
- Appearances by Trump in the late 2000s.
- His involvement in the "Battle of the Billionaires" storyline at WrestleMania 23 in 2007.
- A visit by WWE chief content officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque to the White House in August 2025.
This move by a respected industry veteran like Foley highlights the deepening intersection of sports entertainment, politics, and personal conscience.
