'Deeply corrupt': Lawsuit seeks to block Trump's UFC fight at the White House
WASHINGTON, DC: A federal lawsuit filed on Saturday, June 6, seeks to block the UFC fight card scheduled to take place on the White House South Lawn on June 14, an event tied to President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
The suit, brought by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents, argues that the Trump administration’s approval of the event was unlawful.
Lawsuit challenges UFC event on federal parkland
According to the filing, the event violates National Park Service regulations that prohibit sporting events on federal parkland.
The plaintiffs also contend that Congress never authorized the construction of the large arch overlooking the venue and that no environmental review was conducted before work began on the site.
“This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain,” said Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. “And that is what is motivating this lawsuit.”
“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.
"And it is not in any material sense a 'celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence'—it is, instead, a celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth,” it continues.
UFC is selling VIP packages for between $1 million and $1.5 million per head, according to reporting cited in the lawsuit.
Plaintiffs cite corporate branding and sponsorship concerns
Attorneys argue the UFC event is fundamentally different because of the construction of 'The Cage' octagon arena on White House grounds and the extensive corporate branding expected to accompany it.
The lawsuit claims commercial sponsors are eager to associate themselves with the event, alleging that brands are “clamoring over each other to see their brands plastered adjacent to the Executive Residence and Reflecting Pool.”
“And the UFC’s broadcast partner, Paramount Skydance—which is run by two other Trump allies, Larry and David Ellison—has decided that no American will be able to take in this 'celebration of America' without first paying $8.99 plus tax for a Paramount Plus streaming subscription,” it continues.
A Trump administration official told The Hill the lawsuit is “obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory” and compared the schedule of UFC to previous events on the South Lawn.
