The president praised Hogan’s appearance last year at the Republican National Convention.

“He entertained fans from all over the World, and the cultural impact he had was massive.”

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, was a WWE megastar who helped take professional wrestling into the mainstream. He lost his contract with WWE after he reportedly used a racial slur in an unauthorized videotape. He subsequently apologized.

The wrestler took last year’s RNC in Milwaukee by storm, ripping off both his blazer and shirt to reveal a red Trump-Vance tank top underneath and shouting out the virtues of “Trumpmania” to raucous applause from the crowd.

Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that in a previous meeting, he’d promised Hogan that the pair would connect over beers whenever their paths next crossed.

“The next time will have to be on the other side, my friend!” he said. “Rest in peace.”

Tributes poured in from all over Washington. White House border czar Tom Homan shared that he once had a 200-pound mastiff named Hulk Homan and House Speaker Mike Johnson shared condolences on X.

“We all have fond memories of @HulkHogan,” he wrote. “From my childhood in the ‘80s, to campaigning with him last year, I always saw him as a giant in stature and in life. May he rest in peace.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Hogan, who lived in the state for many years, had been “our superhero” when he was growing up.

“We were with him just a couple months ago, my kids got to meet him and everything,” DeSantis said. “So, I was really sad to see that, and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and people throughout this region of Florida, because I know so many people cared about him.”

Andrew Atterbury contributed to this report.