Lara Lea Trump

In December 2025, Lara Lea Trump stepped onto the mats as a white belt, marking her formal entry into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The session took place at MCBJJ, the academy of coach Marcelo Cohen in Tequesta, Florida, and was filmed for Fox News — bringing mainstream visibility to the foundational principles of the art.

Leah McCourt, a former Bellator MMA fighter, trained alongside Lara Lea Trump throughout the session. Her competitive background made her a natural guide through the core curriculum, as the two worked through fundamental techniques and women's self-defense scenarios. Their conversation also ventured into broader grappling concepts, including the practical and philosophical distinctions between gi and no-gi training. McCourt publicly praised Lara's natural athleticism and enthusiastic engagement with the material. Coach Marcelo Cohen served as host, with MCBJJ standing as the confirmed setting for Lara's first documented experience on the mats.

The Cohen Connection: Lara and Her Children at MCBJJ

Lara Trump's debut at MCBJJ fits within a broader family commitment to the art. Her children, Luke and Carolina Trump, earned their full grey belt promotions under coach Marcelo Cohen at MCBJJ — a meaningful milestone within the structured kids' belt system that recognizes early developmental progress in young practitioners. Both their instruction and promotions are attributed to Marcelo Cohen, establishing MCBJJ as the training home for Lara and her children alike.

The Valente Brothers and Ivanka's Family

In a separate household, Ivanka Trump's family began their BJJ journey with the Valente Brothers in Miami after her daughter Arabella expressed an interest in learning self-defense. Ivanka's engagement with the art grew into genuine enthusiasm — she described BJJ as akin to moving meditation and three-dimensional chess, a characterization that captures the discipline's dual appeal as both a physical and cognitive pursuit. Ivanka and Jared Kushner also attended UFC 299, reflecting the family's wider investment in combat sports culture.

A Broader Cultural Moment

Dana White, a long-standing advocate for martial arts as a developmental tool, publicly praised the family's decision to enroll children in BJJ, citing confidence-building and the cultivation of life skills as central benefits. The multi-household involvement of the Trump family illustrates BJJ's expanding crossover appeal — functioning simultaneously as a self-defense system, a competitive sport, and a shared family activity.