Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has come under fire recently for hosting a six-figure-per-person fundraiser for President Donald Trump‘s re-election bid. As someone who founded a nonprofit foundation to support racial equality and social justice in sports, known as the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality, it seemed odd to the outside world that Ross would support Trump’s re-election bid.
Well, the president believes that Ross hosting the fundraiser will only help him in the future. Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, Trump said that this controversy is a good thing for Ross.
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“I think it just makes Steve much hotter,” Trump said, according to Pro Football Talk. “I didn’t speak to him yet, I’ll see him in a little while. The controversy makes Steve Ross hotter. He’ll figure that out in about a week.”
Unfortunately, Trump didn’t actually explain what that statement truly means. He does say that “hotter” is beneficial, so there is a possibility that he envisions the Dolphins gaining more fans due to the team owner supporting Trump’s re-election bid. Although that is yet to be determined.
As an unnamed source told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that Ross doesn’t agree with Trump on every topic of conversation. They agree on some things but do not see eye-to-eye on the “rhetoric around race.” The president is well aware of these disagreements and actually believes that they push Ross closer to the other aisle. Still, he is still happy to be friends with the team owner.
“Stephen Ross is a great friend of mine, he’s a very successful guy. We were competitors but friends in real estate in New York in the old days. He’s a great guy. He is — by the way, I think he’s probably more inclined to be a liberal if you want to know the truth. But he likes me, he respects me. We’re doing a fundraiser there, we’re doing another fundraiser with another friend of mine. And I understand the fundraiser was totally sold out, and it’s very successful.”
At this point in time, the biggest criticism for Ross’ decision has actually come from within the Dolphins locker room. Wide receiver Kenny Stills questioned the decision to host this fundraiser with a message on Twitter, saying: “You can’t have a non profit with this mission statement then open your doors to Trump.”
Whether or not Ross is affected by his decision remains to be seen, but Trump’s definition of “hotter” should ultimately be revealed in the coming days.
