Triple H faced criticism on social media for his handling of questions about Vince McMahon at the post-Royal Rumble press conference. Dutch Mantell is among those who believe the WWE Chief Content Officer should have approached the topic differently.
On January 25, former WWE employee Janel Grant alleged in a 67-page lawsuit that McMahon sexually assaulted and trafficked her between 2019 and 2022. Two days later, Triple H declined to provide further details when questioned three times about McMahon at the Royal Rumble. Instead, he emphasized a desire to “focus on the positives.”
Mantell, who worked for WWE as an on-screen manager between 1995-1996 and 2013-2016, shared his perspective on Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Smack Talk with Rick Ucchino and Sid Pullar III. He suggested that Triple H should have opted to refrain from discussing the matter altogether:
“He was trying to downplay the whole situation, right?” Mantell remarked. “‘No comment,’ I agree, that would probably have been better. ‘No comment,’ and just go to the next guy.”
Following the lawsuit filing, McMahon asserted that Grant’s account was “replete with lies.” Additionally, the 78-year-old resigned as a board member of WWE’s parent company TKO “out of respect” for the organization.
