AI Fake or Genuine Leak? Viral Eric Trump UFC Messages Trigger Online Firestorm

Eric Trump says viral screenshots showing him asking UFC commentator Daniel Cormier whether White House fights were rigged are AI-generated fakes. Cormier posted the alleged messages, deleted them within minutes, then questioned the uproar.

The dispute erupted around UFC Freedom 250, staged on the White House South Lawn on June 14. Neither side has produced platform data, so the authenticity of the exchange remains unresolved.

What the Alleged Messages Showed

The screenshots depicted an Instagram-style chat in which Eric Trump appears to probe Cormier for an edge before the fights.

He allegedly asked about injuries, wagering, and then whether any bouts were rigged, singling out the Diego Lopes featherweight fight and adding a “$$” symbol.

Cormier, a former two-division champion and lead UFC analyst, replied that he cannot bet and that nothing was fixed.

The card ran during a Trump-linked White House event marking the country’s 250th anniversary and the president’s 80th birthday.

The fight he allegedly named was real. Lopes, a former two-time title challenger, opened the South Lawn card on June 14 and stopped surging contender Steve Garcia by second-round knockout.

Denials Versus Eyewitness Accounts

Eric Trump addressed the matter directly on X (Twitter), tagging the UFC and Dana White.

“We are aware of the fake, AI generated screenshots being circulated online. I have never spoken to Daniel. He has since deleted his post, which confirms it was clearly fabricated,” wrote Trump.

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He went further in comments to the Wall Street Journal, denying the conversation ever happened.

This is completely fake! I have never reached out to Daniel. In fact, this is scary. https://t.co/ZrnIkHBQ4f

— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 15, 2026

Kimberly Benza, a Trump Organization communications director, also called the images fabricated.

However, MMA writer Adam Martin said he saw Cormier’s post live before deletion, and a community note argued that deleting a post does not prove the messages were fake.

DC just tweeted and deleted this. I saw it myself. Crazy stuff. https://t.co/dLbL2QDJsW

— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) June 14, 2026

The UFC has not commented publicly.

Trump’s AI defense is not far-fetched. AI deepfake misinformation has scaled quickly, with deepfake-related crypto scams driving losses of more than $200 million in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

The alleged request landed amid mounting scrutiny of wagering on real-world outcomes.

One Polymarket trader recently netted about $1 million on bets on Google searches, and platforms have since tightened prediction market insider rules after a string of suspicious payouts.