A federal lawsuit is seeking to stop the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event scheduled to take place on the White House lawn on Sunday.
Filed on behalf of two Virginia residents by the self-described anti-corruption law firm Public Integrity Project, the lawsuit argues the cage-fighting event titled “UFC Freedom 250” is “deeply corrupt.”
Set to honor America’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s birthday, the event is being organized by the UFC, whose chief executive, Dana White, “is a close friend and ally of the President,” the lawsuit reads.
“The President is giving White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access,” the legal challenge continues.
In a statement accompanying the lawsuit filed over the weekend, Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs—a retired government employee and a Vietnam War veteran—said: “This is a profoundly corrupt scheme to enrich the President and his friends.”
“If this fight is allowed to proceed, it will be only the beginning, and our national monuments will become little more than branding opportunities for the rich and well-connected,” he continued. “We plan to stop that.”
Elaborating further, Ballou told TIME in an emailed statement: “The basic question we need ask as a country is whether we want to use our most sacred national monuments to enrich the President and his allies? We think the question answers itself.”
Judge Amit P. Mehta of the Federal District Court in Washington on Monday reportedly asked the legal teams in the case to propose a schedule to hear the emergency request.
When asked backstage during a Miami UFC fight in April why he wanted to host a sporting event as part of the nation’s anniversary celebrations, Trump told TIME: “Well, No. 1, I like it.” He went on to display his faith in White, adding, “the job he’s done is second to none. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
White played a role in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, introducing him at the Republican National Convention and helping the campaign connect with younger male voters.
The lawsuit hones in on this relationship, noting that Trump disclosed owning between $15,000 and $50,000 worth of stock in TKO Group Holdings, UFC’s parent company, in March while in the process of promoting the event.
A second claim centers on the legality of constructing temporary structures on the South Lawn.
According to the complaint, the Administration requires “express authorization from Congress and a thorough environmental review,” neither of which plaintiffs argue has occurred.
The National Park Service previously amended regulations governing the National Capital Region to facilitate planning for the 250th anniversary of American independence.
But the lawsuit argues the UFC event does not qualify under those provisions.
“The event is neither ‘for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence’ nor, crucially, being ‘planned, organized, and executed’ by the federal government,” the lawsuit says, citing language from the amended regulations.
Construction of the UFC cage is well underway, with the White House’s official social media account posting an updated promotional video on Sunday.
“One week away. UFC X White House. Buckle up. It’s about to go down,” the post read.
The complaint asks the court to “temporarily restrain, preliminarily enjoin, and permanently enjoin” the government from allowing the event to use both the South Lawn and the Lincoln Memorial.
An Administration official has dismissed the legal challenge as “obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory,” insisting this event is “no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn.”
The case is the latest legal challenge involving construction projects associated with the Trump Administration.
On Friday, a three-judge federal appeals panel heard arguments over whether construction of Trump’s grandiose White House ballroom should continue after the National Trust for Historic Preservation sued following the demolition of the East Wing last year.
The UFC event is part of a broader series of physical changes Trump has pursued at the White House and the wider Washington area during his second term.
Those projects include his efforts in “making the reflecting pool beautiful again” and plans for a 250-foot triumphal arch nearby Arlington National Cemetery, which House Democrats are attempting to block through legislation introduced on May 29.
Democrats rally against UFC event as arena is constructed on White House lawn
Democrats have largely united in opposition to the UFC fight night, linking it to Trump’s other construction projects.
“A billion dollar ballroom. A UFC arena. Trump is turning the White House into his personal playground while he does nothing to address rising health care costs, soaring energy bills, or deliver on any of the promises he made to get himself elected,” claimed Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.
The criticism comes as Americans continue to face higher living costs amid the ongoing Iran war and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply passes.
“A UFC ring, a White House ballroom…it’s like Donald Trump will do literally anything else besides lower the cost of gas, groceries, child care, and housing,” argued Rep. Sara Jacobs of California.
Trump, who has previously dismissed concerns around America’s rising living costs, has been widely criticized by Democrats, who argue he is “out of touch” with the economic fallout of the war.
“Trump is building a golden ballroom, and for his birthday party—arranging a UFC fight on the White House grounds—while you’re fighting to pay this month’s bills,” said Sen. Adam Schiff of California in late May. “Could he be more out of touch?”
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