How WWE got a chokehold on U.S. politics

By Lily Tyson

Published March 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT

WWE chairman Vince McMahon (center) has his head shaved by Donald Trump (L) and Bobby Lashley (R) while being held down by ''Stone Cold'' Steve Austin after losing a bet in the Battle of the Billionaires at the 2007 World Wrestling Entertainment's Wrestlemania at Ford Field on April 1, 2007 in Detroit, Michigan. Umaga was representing McMahon in the match when he lost to Bobby Lashley who was representing Trump. — WWE chairman Vince McMahon (center) has his head shaved by Donald Trump (L) and Bobby Lashley (R) while being held down by ''Stone Cold'' Steve Austin after losing a bet in the Battle of the Billionaires at the 2007 World Wrestling Entertainment's Wrestlemania at Ford Field on April 1, 2007 in Detroit, Michigan.

Josephine Riesman, author of Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America, argues that understanding WWE can help us understand President Donald Trump and his politics. This hour, we learn about WWE and its impact on Trump, and discuss the experience and appeal of watching wrestling.

GUESTS:

Josephine Riesman: Author of Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America
Tim Kail: Creator of “The Work of Wrestling” website and podcast. He is also the host and producer of “The Sarah Lawrence College Podcast”

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Colin McEnroe, Meg Dalton, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on March 7, 2025.