McMahon defends Hogan's Hall of Fame status, says he wasn't racist

Vince McMahon has reiterated that he does not believe Hulk Hogan was racist, even as he acknowledged the former WWE star said racist things and paid a heavy personal and professional price for those remarks. Speaking for the first time on a widely watched documentary about Hogan, McMahon defended the decision to reinstate Hogan in WWE’s Hall of Fame in 2018 and reflected on Hogan’s death this July, the controversial reception Hogan received at his final WWE appearance, and the broader question of how the industry should remember its icons.

McMahon’s comments come in the wake of Hogan’s passing at age 71, following a heart-related event and years of health challenges. Hogan’s death has prompted renewed examination of his legacy, including the 2015 decision to sever ties with him after a leaked 2007–2008 recording featuring racist language. In the documentary, McMahon said Hogan “wasn’t racist,” noting that he had been “with him for so many years” and that Hogan “said some racist things” and should pay for them, but that the overall person was not defined by those moments. He added, “We all make mistakes. That was a big one, but he wasn’t a racist.” The interview emphasizes a...