‘Let’s Both Get in the Ring’: Jesse Ventura Challenges Trump to Fight ‘If He Wants It’

Former WWE wrestler Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura challenged President Donald Trump to a fight “if he wants it,” declaring “let’s both get in the ring” in a Tuesday appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Back in 2013, Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for hosting WrestleMania IV and V at Trump Plaza and participating in the network’s “Battle of the Billionaires.” Trump did not fight directly but instead had a wrestler represent him against ex-WWE boss Vince McMahon‘s wrestler.

Ventura himself served in the Navy during the Vietnam War before becoming a successful wrestler and then as governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003.

He has been a staunch critic of ICE and the Trump administration’s involvement in Iran.

Host Piers Morgan asked Ventura about a clip of him alongside Trump at WrestleMania 20 in 2004. In the video, Ventura announces, “You know what? I think that we may need a wrestler in the White House in 2008.”

Ventura claimed he was “doing his job” and what he was “asked to do at the WWE” in the clip and lamented the “tragedy” that is Trump’s WWE Hall of Famer status.

“Donald Trump does not belong in the wrestling Hall of Fame,” he said. “He never earned it. You know what I had to do to get into the pro wrestling Hall of Fame? At one point in my career I wrestled 63 consecutive nights in a row. That’s how you get into the Hall of Fame. When I was referring to putting a wrestler in the White House, I was talking about me not him!”

When Morgan mentioned that Ventura’s statement about who would be put in the White House was a bit ambiguous, Ventura clarified, “I was the former governor of Minnesota. I’m the only real former wrestler. I don’t include him. He’s only in the Hall of Fame because he stopped an investigation against Vince McMahon — sexual stuff.”

While Ventura said he doesn’t plan to run for governor again, he claimed to be working on something that could send him “straight to Washington” and “go face-to-face with this guy,” though he later admitted he has nothing to say to Trump.

“I’ll put it to you this way — we withstood the onslaught of the Gestapo [ICE] in Minnesota. I was taught in war to ensure your backyard is secure. That’s the first thing you do. Well Minnesota is now secure. We’ve repelled the onslaught from Trump. Now it’s time for us to go on the offense, so maybe it’s time to send the Navy Seal to Washington. Maybe it’s time for a showdown between the Vietnam veteran and the draft dodger.”

Morgan asked for clarification on if the “showdown” would be a physical one.

“No, but if he wants it, he’s in the hall of fame,” Ventura said. “Let’s both get in the ring. He’s in the hall of fame, isn’t he? Even though he’s never, ever had a match.”

After Morgan suggested that Trump could extend the UFC event set to occur on the South Lawn of the White House in June to go head-to-head against Ventura, he clapped back: “Do you think he’d have the guts to do that? Are you kidding me? Ha!”

Morgan gave Trump credit for getting back up after being shot in the ear, and Ventura retorted, “Have you ever heard of a blade job?”, the wrestling phrase for intentionally cutting oneself to draw blood during a match, before continuing, “C’mon, Piers, you’re going to tell me this guy is a big hero now?”

“If he’d have joined us in Vietnam, we might have won, huh?” Ventura said sarcastically. “Why did he run and hide when he could have joined us and led us to victory?”

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