‘It’s a Spit In the Face’: Shaquille O’Neal Has MAGA Fuming Over Meeting with Donald Trump Years After Threatening to ‘Get At’ the President

Shaquille O’Neal is at the center of an online discourse over his recent encounter with Donald Trump. The two men were spotted greeting each other during the UFC 314 showdown at Kaseya Center in Miami on April 12.

Videos of the interaction sparked warring words between liberals and MAGA who share vastly different outlooks on the situation. The casual exchange between the retired Miami Heat star and Trump showed the Diesel lean in to shake hands with the president. Trump also appeared to say something to O’Neal, though his message is unknown.

Shaquille O’Neal’s encounter with Donald Trump at UFC event sparks backlash. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fanatics; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“When you publicly embraced Trump, you also publicly endorsed all of his ideologies. It’s a spit in the face to so many people who are being impacted by his plans,” read a viral tweet. At first, the 47th president’s supporters swiftly combatted many of O’Neal’s fans’ expressions of disappointment.

A defender suggested, “He just said hello to the president. Get a grip people.” A second person wrote, “Shaq can do whatever he wants. We need more of the ‘united’ part of The United States of America if we’re going to make it.”

The 7-foot-1 basketball giant was also accused of “looking down at the president” during the meeting. Trump is very generously listed at 6 feet 3. Moreover, in the Facebook comments of a repost of the greeting, a user harped on O’Neal’s past venomous promise to “get at” Trump.

That MAGA supporter typed, “Shaq trashed him several times.” Context to back up the claim traces back to 2023, when O’Neal hit back at those who criticized Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show. Among those critics was Trump.

He called her “the single worst Halftime Show in Super Bowl history” and that “she’s made a career of spewing degenerate filth while badmouthing America every chance she gets.”

Shaq addressed the hate coming from “rappers and presidential candidates” on “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” where he said, “All you people disrespecting my Rihanna, shut your face… All you superstars that’s disrespecting and causing beef… shut yo face, shut it up…keep your f–king thoughts to yourself…leave her alone.”

O’Neal, who voted for the first time in the 2020 election, has shared a friendly rapport with “The Apprentice” boss for years. In 2005, when Trump married his second wife, Melania Trump, O’Neal attended the nuptials.

The former Los Angeles Lakers center also previously had this to say about his pal’s political views: “You know, Donald’s a friend of mine. I just think he says it wrong. I think if he could reword some of the things he says and put it in business form, it’ll really make sense. Donald’s like a straight-up guy.”

Elsewhere on Twitter, the “NBA on TNT” host’s business de-aligns with Papa John’s following its founder John Schnatter’s N-word scandal also resurfaced amid the discourse.

“Not sure why anyone is surprised he’s been the front man for the racist pizza maker for a while now,” read the tweet. A second user said, “Let me get this straight, @PapaJohns board fired John for being a bigot and gave @SHAQ the job and he turns out to be a fangirl for the biggest bigot in history?? Did I get that right?”

The pizza chain honcho stepped down from the company’s board of directors and left his post as CEO in 2018, months after the controversy. O’Neal accepted a five-year agreement to serve on the board in 2019, as well as a brand ambassador, and also took ownership of nine franchises in the Atlanta area. His tenure on the board ended in 2024.