Hulk Hogan, the larger-than-life figure who helped turn professional wrestling into a global, billion-dollar industry and publicly endorsed Donald Trump’s presidential bid, has died at 71, World Wrestling Entertainment announced Thursday.
“WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s,” WWE posted on X. The organization did not disclose a cause of death.
With his signature bleach-blond hair, deep tan, and towering frame, Hogan became the face of professional wrestling during the 1980s, helping steer the industry from fringe spectacle to mainstream, family-friendly entertainment worth billions.
A pivotal moment in that transformation came during 1987’s WrestleMania III, when Hogan famously lifted and slammed André the Giant before a packed crowd at Michigan’s Pontiac Silverdome, solidifying his legend.
While he attempted a move into Hollywood with films such as Rocky III and Santa With Muscles, Hogan frequently returned to the wrestling ring throughout his career.
In 2024, Hogan took the stage at the Republican National Convention to support Trump’s presidential campaign—more than three decades after the future president hosted WrestleManias headlined by Hogan. He explained his endorsement came after witnessing Trump’s reaction to an assassination attempt on the trail. “Let Trumpamania run wild, brother!” Hogan roared to a cheering audience, tearing off his shirt to reveal a Trump tank top. “Let Trumpamania rule again!”
His enthusiastic support for Trump in 2024 divided some fans. Earlier, a sex tape involving Hogan and a friend’s wife was published by Gawker, leading to a high-profile privacy lawsuit and a $140 million judgment that ultimately forced the site to shut down.
In 2015, WWE suspended Hogan after a leaked recording captured him using a racial slur. He was reinstated in 2018.
Hogan was married three times and had two children, who appeared with him and first wife Linda in the reality TV series Hogan Knows Best, which aired from 2005 to 2007.
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