Hogan had been a staunch supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump during the 2024 election and previously had been heard making racist comments on a leaked video. Hogan became so controversial that in his final appearance for WWE, he was loudly booed during the Netflix premiere of Monday Night Raw earlier this year.

Among the first to react to the news was WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, who posted on X, "I am absolutely shocked to hear about the passing of my close friend @HulkHogan! Hulk has been by my side since we started in the wrestling business.