Donald Trump grins with Hulk Hogan in throwback snaps as wrestler shows support at RNC after begging to be running mate

DONALD Trump smiled proudly in a throwback picture with Hulk Hogan as the wrestler is expected to show his support for the former president at the Republican National Convention.

Hogan - real name Terry Gene Bollea - is expected to appear as a speaker on Thursday, day four of the RNC, along with Linda McMahon, wife of former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

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The Hulkster's support for his fellow WWE Hall of Famer goes back to Trump's first bid for the White House in 2015 after admitting to that he wanted to be his running mate.

"I don’t want to be in the ring with any candidates. I want to be Trump’s running mate," Hogan, 70, said when asked which candidate he'd want to fight.

"Did you hear that? Vice President Hogan," he added.

Hogan recently expressed his support for Trump, 78, following the attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday that left the former president bloodied.

"Today’s events in Butler, Pennsylvania are deeply disturbing," Hogan on Instagram.

"No President, past or present, should face such a horrific act.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with President Trump, law enforcement, and the Secret Service who bravely protect and uphold our shared values."

HALL OF FAMER

Trump has had a long friendship with Vince McMahon, 78, who resigned from the WWE earlier this year following allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault.

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He has been a figure in the professional wrestling world since the 1980s but made several appearances on WWE's flagship show, Monday Night Raw, in the late 2000s to early 2010s.

Despite the pair's real-life friendship, Trump and McMahon were engaged in a years-long feud onscreen with Trump pulling antics such as dropping cash into the crowd at a show in 2007 and "purchasing" Monday Night Raw in 2009 before "selling" it back to McMahon the following week.

The feud peaked at WrestleMania 23 in a match called the Battle of the Billionaires, ending with Trump shaving McMahon's hair.

Trump even got physical during the match, tackling McMahon to the ground before performing his signature fist pump in the air.

In 2013, Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, where he bragged that he and McMahon's match had the "highest ratings, the highest pay-per-view in the history of wrestling of any kind."

"This is a major honor," Trump said at the time. "I consider this to be my greatest honor of all."

'LOYAL FRIEND'

Trump's friendship with the McMahons extends to Vince's wife, Linda, who gave Trump a standing ovation after his Hall of Fame speech.

Linda, 75, served as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration in Trump's cabinet between 2017 to 2019.

She stepped down to focus on helping with Trump's reelection campaign and currently serves as the chairwoman for the America First Action Super PAC.

Linda admitted to the in 2016 that Trump wasn't her first choice as president - she had been a supporter of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

However, she would later donate $6 million to the Rebuilding America Now Super PAC that aired commercials supporting Trump's campaign once he was named the Republican nominee.

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"Once you’re his friend, he is loyal to the end," Linda said at the time.

"He’s an incredibly loyal, loyal friend."

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