Stand-up comedian and actor Nate Bargatze is getting called out for attending Donald Trump’s 80th birthday bash UFC fight at the White House South Lawn on June 14.
Bargatze, 47, was first seen in Cheryl Hines’ Instagram picture, also featuring her husband and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Vice President JD Vance appeared in the background.
Since then, several other pictures of the Saturday Night Live host have surfaced online, posing with MAGA royalty. While netizens are now criticizing Nate Bargatze for his political association, it is noteworthy that the comedian was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, in a conservative and devout Christian family.
Here are some reactions from X slamming Bargatze.
“Nah, I loved that guy, and I generally don’t do boycotts, but I’m done with him. It’s 2026. If you don’t know who the N*zis are yet, I don’t need to hear any more from you,” a fan wrote.
“Aww, Nate. What happened to you?” another fan asked.
“This saddens me more than I’d like to admit,” a netizen wrote.
“My family and I were planning on seeing @natebargatze in Fresno next month. We will NOT attend his show now. I’m so disappointed and sad. We will no longer watch any show he’s on. Including SNL!” another netizen commented.
Others defended Nate.
“LEAVE NATE BARGATZE ALONE, YOU GHOULS,” a user wrote.
“This makes me support @natebargatze even more,” a person wrote.
“And what? He’s not funny anymore? Leftists are ghouls,” another person opined.
Nate Bargatze has yet to address the controversy. However, a source close to him told the Daily Beast on Monday that he only attended the event because UFC is his “favorite sport” and his presence was “not political.”
Exploring Nate Bargatze’s politics
Nate Bargatze has never directly spoken about his political affiliations and has kept his comedy apolitical over the years. However, he told The Washington Post in 2024:
“I actually enjoy politics. I don’t talk about them, but I enjoy them. I don’t think it’s what people are coming to me for.”
Last year, Nate Bargatze further told Esquire:
“If I want to give you my opinion on who I voted for, who’s that for? It’s for me, really, because I want you to know I’m smart. I don’t think it’s really helping an audience. Don’t you think they know who to vote for? They’re living life. Once you run out of celebrities’ opinions on politics, maybe I’ll jump back in, but right now I just want to do the opposite.”
In February 2026, he was seen posing for a photograph with Republican Senator of Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn.
According to the Johnson City Press, Bargatze was in talks with Blackburn to build the Nateland theme park in his home state. Back then, the meeting turned heads because the senator had been a vocal supporter of Trump. As a result, it triggered mixed reactions with Republicans lauding Nate and Democrats condemning him.
Thirteen years ago, comedian Yannis Pappas sat down with Esquire and spoke about his friend Nate Bargatze’s conservative background, clean politics, and more. Pappas said:
“He didn’t like me at all at first. We’re completely the opposite. He’s a completely clean comedian — he doesn’t curse at all. And that’s rare. But he still appeals to a wide audience. He’s from the South, he’s conservative, he’s religious. And I’m this liberal guy from New York. My comedy’s a bit more aggressive; there’s often a target. He’s more laid-back. He speaks slow, he’s got a Southern accent, and he exudes charisma.”
The Brooklyn native continued about Bargatze:
“He’s a guy who can make jokes. Most of his stuff is autobiographical, but then he’ll make a great joke coming from this rural, small-town, conservative perspective. And I don’t agree with his beliefs, but he’s the only guy I know who could make it funny. He’s got this joke about Wal-Mart, like, ‘People say Wal-Mart killed the mom-and-pop stores. No, Wal-Mart is a mom-and-pop store that got their act together.’”
Yannis revealed Nate’s politics was never “in-your-face” and his slow and deliberate delivery helped resonate with the audience. The Blowing the Light comic revealed Bargatze reminded him of someone from sitcoms, such as Jerry Seinfeld and Ray Romano, who has a “big personality” alongside “charisma” which could be turned into a sitcom.
Elsewhere, Yannis Pappas mentioned doing a college tour together with Nate Bargatze in 2008, right before Barack Obama was sworn in for his first term.
“We didn’t get too political. We just presented ourselves as examples of the liberal voter and the conservative voter. And we had some great times together. We were actually on stage when it was announced that Obama won. This kid ran in and said, ‘Obama won.’ The first black president. It kind of felt like when people say they remember where they were when JFK was shot. I’ll always remember that moment, being on stage with him. It felt historic,” Pappas recalled.
Previously, Nate was seen posing for a photo with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. Meanwhile, CNN host and longtime Trump critic Don Lemon is reportedly a fan of the comedian.
Nate Bargatze, who has been getting mixed reviews for his latest film, The Breadwinner, was among 4,000 guests at Trump’s UFC fight, including members of his inner circle, JD Vance, Pete Hegseth, Scott Bessent, and Howard Lutnick. META CEO Mark Zuckerberg and comedians Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe were also in attendance.
Edited by Pallavi K