Before the world learned about the death of Osama Bin Laden, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had the inside scoop.
Dwayne Johnson Explains Bin Laden Tweet
Just got word that will shock the world – Land of the free…home of the brave DAMN PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 2, 2011
Around 1 a.m. PKT on May 2, 2011, the United States’ SEAL Team Six shot and killed Bin Laden at his safe house in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Just after 11:30 p.m. ET on May 1, President Barack Obama announced Bin Laden’s death to the nation. For many Americans, this was the first time hearing about the demise of al-Qaeda’s leader.
For Johnson, Obama’s speech was old news.
One hour before, Johnson teased the announcement on his Twitter account.
“Just got word that will shock the world,” Johnson wrote. “Land of the free…home of the brave DAMN PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”
Johnson might be “The Final Boss” in the WWE, but he is not a high-ranking government official. How did Johnson learn about Bin Laden’s death before the American people?
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson finally explained his famous tweet.
“I’ve got a friend of a friend who gave me a call,” Johnson said. “The call was like, ‘Hey, this thing happened.’ And I said, ‘Okay, wonderful news.’ I was told on the call that the president at that time [Barack Obama] was going to make his speech in 20 minutes or whatever. I said, ‘Okay, great.’ So 20 minutes go by, and at about the 25th minute, I tweet this. Then I get a second call, and the call is, ‘Yeah, the president didn’t go on yet.’ And I went, ‘Oh shit.’”
Johnson may have jumped the gun, but he faced no repercussions. Bin Laden’s death was more important than a story leaking early.
Johnson wasn’t the only WWE superstar who shared the news with Americans. Johnson’s rival and former WrestleMania opponent, John Cena, announced Bin Laden’s death to the crowd after the Extreme Rules event in Tampa, Florida.
“The president has just announced that we have caught, and compromised to a permanent end, Osama bin Laden,” Cena said to a thunderous ovation.
Dwayne Johnson Gearing Up for Awards Season
There’s no other high like it.
It all became a drug.
Pressure.Benny Safdie’s THE SMASHING MACHINE is now available to watch at home 🥊#thesmashingmachine pic.twitter.com/4CFFePNuVZ
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) November 4, 2025
Johnson has been active on the press circuit for the last few months promoting The Smashing Machine. Written and directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine is based on the life of MMA pioneer Mark Kerr.
Johnson plays Kerr, a former amateur wrestler who rose to prominence in the late ’90s and early ’00s for the UFC and Pride. Outside of the octagon, Kerr battled anxiety and drug addiction, stunting his growth in the sport.
Johnson’s performance has been lauded by critics, with many calling it the best of his career. Johnson will run an aggressive campaign to receive nominations from major awards shows, including the Oscars.
