White House silence on UFC fighter's Michelle Obama slur raises red flags for ex-aide

One of President Donald Trump's former spokespersons said during a CNN interview on Monday that the president's silence after former first lady Michelle Obama was verbally attacked during the "UFC Freedom 250" event on Sunday raises several red flags.

MMA fighter Josh Hokit spoke during a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan and shouted the false claim that "Michelle Obama is a man" to the crowd. The comment elicited mixed reactions, according to reports, and was widely condemned by Republicans and some of the president's allies, like Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.

However, the White House has not commented on Hokit's comments. Rather than addressing the comments, White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung told CNN that Hokit "had a great win last night. He showed toughness and the ability to pressure his opponent both on his feet and on the ground.”

Sarah Matthews, a former deputy press secretary for the first Trump administration, told CNN's Erin Burnett on "OutFront" that the president has been willing to condemn similar conspiracy theories in the past. For instance, he batted down a conspiracy theory amplified by MAGA influencer Candace Owens about French President Emmanuel Macron's wife, Matthews noted.

"President Trump came out and said that that wasn't true and condemned it, but then he can't do the same thing for Michelle Obama," Matthews said. "It makes you wonder, what's the difference between those two women and his eyes?"

Matthews added that she would be embarrassed to assign her name to a statement like the one Cheung released about the fighter.

"It's pathetic," she said. "Her husband has not been in office, and she has not been first lady, in more than a decade, and she continues to live rent-free in these losers' heads."