Shane Gillis Regrets Supporting Trump Before Epstein Files Fallout

Shane Gillis treaded lightly while attending President Donald Trump’s UFC Freedom 250 event earlier this summer, telling Joe Rogan he avoided taking a picture with the president.

“Let’s stop bringing that up,” the comedian said on “The Joe Rogan Experience” when the host highlighted that they both attended the fight on the White House South Lawn in June.

“I took zero heat for that event,” Rogan said.

The “Tires” star told Rogan that he rejected an invitation to go into the VIP room at the Freedom 250 fight because he knew pictures would be taken there. The podcast host said that he and Nate Bargatze “chilled” in the greenroom without a problem.

“I said no way…f–k no, I knew those photos would be taken,” Gillis said. “I stood outside in the rain. I said I’m not getting my picture taken.”

Joe Rogan: I was at the White House, so was Shane.

Shane Gillis: Let’s stop bringing that up. Back then, when I was taking that picture, I was like, this guy’s gonna release the Epstein Files, and no more wars. I like that. Also, I still didn’t vote for him. pic.twitter.com/aCcpQNtEYS

— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) August 13, 2026

Comedian Mark Normand then called out Gillis, saying he did take a picture with the president a few years ago. The “Tires” actor said that was before the president made many controversial decisions in his second term.

“That was pre-a lot of things,” Gillis said. “Back then, when I was taking that picture, I was like, this guy’s gonna release the Epstein Files, and no more wars. I like that.”

“Wasn’t killing Americans,” comedian Ari Shaffir quipped.

“Also, I still didn’t vote for him,” Gillis added.

Watch the full clip above.

Gillis has been labeled as an “anti-woke” stand-up comedian and actor, but he has been open about the fact that he did not vote for President Trump in 2024. The comedian was also fired before he even appeared on “Saturday Night Live” in 2019 for homophobic jokes and racist slurs he said on his podcast “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast.”

Season 3 of the stand-up comedian’s comedy series “Tires” debuted on Netflix today.