AEW's Mick Foley Opens Up About Leaving WWE Due To Company's Support For Donald Trump

Back in December, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley stunned fans when he announced he would not be re-signing his Legends deal, due to the company's support of the Trump administration. The "Hardcore Legend" further shocked fans when it was announced he'd be joining AEW, and appeared at Double or Nothing last month, where he even worked a brief angle with MJF and then-AEW World Champion Darby Allin during the Buy-In pre-show.

Foley recently appeared on "The Ariel Helwani Show," where he spoke about his decision to leave WWE due to the company's close ties to President Trump. He said he had to make the decision that was best for him, and described the relationship breakdown as being a multitude of different cracks ahead of Trump's comments about the late director Rob Reiner.

"Just heartless. Unbelievably cruel comments coming from the most powerful man in the world, finding joy in how somebody died," Foley explained. "For me, that was the ball-peen hammer tap that broke the windshield. I just think WWE had a very cozy relationship where there was definitely the allusion of a relationship there, the perception, rather. I think when five different 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 because I had a Legends deal, because my name's been associated with WWE for over 30 years, that I was complicit in my silence. So, I did speak up."

Foley said he reached out to WWE's head of talent relations to let them know he wouldn't be re-signing the deal. He said the Legends deal runs out at the end of this month, and he had to give up two high-paying jobs during WrestleMania weekend, but he was okay with that.

Foley said that he didn't want to be in a position where his grandchildren were questioning what side of history their grandfather was on. He explained, however, that he loves WWE and wasn't going to disparage the company, and he didn't close the door on things entirely.

"But, it didn't seem like a good fit," he said. "Didn't seem like a fit that would allow me to look myself in the mirror before I went to bed."

He explained that the head of talent relations said he respected his decision, then he received a call from someone "really high up," who he did not want to name, who seemed to try and reason with him. Foley said the person explained Paul "Triple H" Levesque was "just" on the president's physical fitness board and that Linda McMahon, Trump's Secretary of Education, hasn't worked in WWE in years.

"I said, 'Well, theoretically that's the case, but I could have swore I saw Paul behind the president's shoulder when he was making... policy,'" Foley said. "I said, 'Whether Linda's working for the company or not, her last name's 'McMahon' and she's associated with the company.'"

Foley said he did not hear from Levesque or anyone within the McMahon family, though said he did have a great relationship with Levesque and his wife, Stephanie McMahon, as well as Vince McMahon, and he knew the decision was probably going to impact those relationships. Foley also had a message to those listening regarding politics.

"It's never too late to do the right thing," Foley said. "The best time to have made your voice heard would have been earlier, but the second best time is now."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Ariel Helwani Show" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.