President Donald Trump is hosting a UFC event on the White House grounds tonight as part of celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary. The fights also fall on the president’s 80th birthday. A huge structure called the “Claw” has been erected on the South Lawn, framing the UFC “Octagon.” A three-day event has expanded far beyond the White House and National Mall, with complex security measures, road closures, and facilities to accommodate tens of thousands of attendees. UFC is fronting $60 million in production costs, but taxpayers are also footing part of the bill. While it’s generated enthusiasm among MAGA allies and supporters, the expensive event is one of several personal projects drawing rebukes from Trump critics and skepticism from some Republicans, particularly in light of the war with Iran driving up costs for consumers. The president is expected to leave for the G7 summit in France immediately after the fights.
The event has been met with criticism for not showcasing some of the sport’s biggest stars and for featuring fighters who aren’t Americans. The main event on Sunday will be a lightweight title fight between undisputed champion Ilia Topuria and interim title holder Justin Gaethje — a matchup that professional boxer and influencer Jake Paul, a friend of the Trump administration, recently criticized.
A federal judge rejected a request from two Virginia residents to block President Donald Trump from hosting tonight’s UFC fights at the White House. The decision last week from US District Judge Amit P. Mehta came in a case brought by two people who argued the privately run event cannot be lawfully held on the White House’s South Lawn or the Lincoln Memorial, where other aspects of the festivities took place Friday before today’s main event. The appointee of former President Barack Obama concluded that the two plaintiffs do not have the legal right — known as “standing” — to challenge the event. As a result, he made no ruling on the legality of this weekend’s events.
The event has also sparked controversy over the Trump family's involvement in cashing in on the spectacle by selling gold coins priced as high as $12,000. The “Freedom 250”-themed silver and gold medallions feature Trump’s face and are being marketed as a collaboration between the UFC and the Trump Organization, which is run by the president’s sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr. The Trump Organization appears only to be licensing the president’s brand for the coins and is not manufacturing or selling them.
The event has also raised concerns about the environmental impact, with the UFC planning to pay $700,000 to re-sod the grass of the South Lawn, where the “Claw,” audience stands, and the “Octagon” are sitting. The event has also been criticized for its lack of diversity, with the fight card featuring mostly non-American fighters.
Despite the controversy, the event has been a major production, with extensive security features, including anti-scale fencing, bike-rack barricades, and US Secret Service screening facilities. The event is expected to be removed just as swiftly as it was installed, with a detailed plan in place to break everything down starting Monday.
