Both were asked during the Royal Rumble post-event press conference, after more allegations emerged in the week building up to the show.

Chief content officer of WWE Paul Levesque, or better known by his ring name Triple H, and 2024 Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes were both asked about ex-executive and co-founder of the WWE Vince McMahon’s lawsuit at the Premium Live Event this past weekend.

Wresting mogul Vince McMahon has been accused of sexual abuse and trafficking in a lawsuit by former employee Janel Grant. Grant has alledged that McMahon and another former executive John Laurinaitis sexually assaulted and trafficked her to entice new wrestling talent, and filed a lawsuit on these grounds on Thursday.

McMahon has denied the recent allegations and has resigned from his role as chairman of TKO, the parent company of WWE, supposedly to save the wrestling world from harm. McMahon returned to the board in January 2023, after being unanimously voted out due to the initial ongoing investigation regarding this issue.

Triple H & Cody Rhodes asked about Vince McMahon allegations

Triple H wanted to focus on the positives of the week

When asked about how the lawsuit may affect WWE, and his knowledge of the allegations at the time, Triple H responded concisely: “I’m going to do exactly what you expect me to do here, we just had an amazing week… I choose to focus on the positive, yes there’s a negative, but I want to focus on that, and just keep it to that.”

Triple H is asked about the VKM lawsuit.#RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/8GSxRgMECY — Wrestle Features (@WrestleFeatures) January 28, 2024

Triple H hasn’t read the Vince McMahon lawsuit.#WWE pic.twitter.com/9Af57bkWMM — The Wrestle Debate (@wrestle_debate) January 28, 2024

He mentioned wanting to think about the positives that have come out of the week, such as having signed a new 10-year, five billion dollar deal with Netflix for TV rights to WWE Raw, selling out the Royal Rumble with over 48,000 spectators, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson joining the TKO board. Triple H was one of the executives who had a part in unanimously voting McMahon off of the board in the first place.

Netflix and WWE have struck an agreement to stream Monday Night Raw from 2025 onwards, and the numbers behind the deal are staggering.

Cody Rhodes answered the question more directly

The two-time Royal Rumble champion Cody Rhodes was also asked about his knowledge of the lawsuit, and responded gravely: “I know as far as the news is concerned, we were finding it out, reading the same thing that you guys were reading. Is that a dark cloud? Certainly. As far as TKO, Nick Khan [WWE president], the board, they took it very seriously, acted immediately. Looking at the future… this crew is very team-based and perhaps that’s the ingredient: everyone looking out for everyone and being accountable… as more news comes out we’ll be seeing it just like you do.”

Cody Rhodes on the VKM lawsuit. The best answer possible.#RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/irBUCWle8A — Wrestle Features (@WrestleFeatures) January 28, 2024

Both Rhodes and Triple H approached the press’ questions sensitively and seriously, with Rhodes making it clear that he was only made aware about the case at the same time as everybody else, and like Triple H, wanted to focus on the positives in WWE at the minute.

The allegations and the latest reports surrounding Vince McMahon and other high-profile names in WWE won’t go away anytime soon. They are serious allegations, and they need to be taken seriously by all involved. Whether WWE choose to directly address the allegations or not, remains to be seen, but it’s certainly something they can’t just sweep under the rug in the hope that it goes away.