Mick Foley Opens Up About WWE Departure Due To Donald Trump Association

On December 16, Mick Foley effectively cut ties with WWE over its relationship with Donald Trump.

Foley let his Legends Deal expire and eventually joined AEW in May, debuting at Double or Nothing.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Foley detailed his decision to leave WWE.

“Everyone has to make a decision that is right for them. To me, it was the comments about Rob Reiner. Just heartless. Unbelievably cruel comments coming from the most powerful man in the world, finding joy in someone dying. Belittling a man who just died and tying that into his dislike of Trump. For me, that was the ballpin hammer tap that broke the windshield. I think WWE has a cozy relationship, and there is a perception there. When five people are posing in the Oval Office, and they’ve all received Stone Cold Stunners, that’s a little cozy. Even though I wasn’t technically employed by the company, but I had a legends deal, and my name is associated with WWE, I was complicit in my silence. I did speak up and reached out to the head of talent relations and gave up the legends deal. I realized by giving up two easy, high-paying jobs at WWE World during WrestleMania week that I had to work 24 hours to make what I could’ve in six, and I’m okay with that. I’m good with my decision. I made the move that I felt was right for me. I love that company. I’m not going to disparage them. It didn’t seem like a good fit or a fit that would allow me to look myself in the mirror before I went to bed,” he said.

Asked if anyone in WWE tried to convince him to stay, Foley replied, “The first one was, ‘I respect your stance and I’ll tell the people in charge.’ I did receive a call from someone really high up, I don’t know if he wants me to mention his name, but he was saying, ‘Paul (Levesque) is just on the physical fitness board, and Linda has worked at WWE for X number of years.’ I said, ‘Well, theoretically that’s the case, but I could’ve sworn I saw Paul behind the President’s shoulder when he was making a foreign policy. Whether Linda is working with the company or not, her last name is McMahon and she is associated with the company. Come on, five people in that office took a Stunner.’ He appreciated it and said he respected it. I didn’t close the door forever. I said in my announcement, ‘As long as this man is in office.’ More and more people are realizing that some of the things he’s doing are cruel for the sake of cruelty and to enrich himself. I just want to tell people who are listening that it’s never too late to do the right thing. The best time have made your voice heard would’ve been earlier, but the second best time is now. If his ratings dip into the teens, maybe he’ll be forced to make some changes. Nobody wants to go down as the worst President in the history of this country. If there are better angles in his nature, maybe it can be appealed to, but I’m not so sure there are. He’s a different type of person, and I don’t mean that in a good way.”

Asked is he spoke to Triple H (Paul Levesque), Foley said he had not.

“No, I did not hear from Paul or any of the McMahon family. The saddest part is that I did have a great history with Paul, who was a good friend of Paul’s and Stephanie’s. I was at their wedding. Vince McMahon meant so much to me. I knew going in that it was probably going to affect those friendships,” he said.

Fans can find Foley’s comments on his AEW debut and the backstage environment here.

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