Melania, Ivanka Trump and Karoline Leavitt expected at Trump's White House UFC event
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump's planned UFC event on Sunday, June 14, at the White House is drawing attention not only for bringing mixed martial arts to one of America's most iconic locations but also for the high-profile guests expected to attend.
The ringside guest list is expected to include first lady Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka Trump, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Trump's guest list offers another glimpse into how the president is blending entertainment, politics, and patriotism into a signature White House event, with the UFC card serving as part of the administration’s America 250 celebrations.
Karoline Leavitt joins Trump at White House UFC
One of the most talked-about names on the guest list is White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, whose attendance would mark one of her highest-profile public appearances since welcoming her second child.
Leavitt has become one of the administration's most visible figures, regularly defending Trump's agenda from the White House briefing room.
Her expected appearance alongside senior administration officials and members of the Trump family has already generated interest among supporters following her rapid rise in Republican politics.
First lady Melania Trump will also join the president at the UFC event on the South Lawn, along with several of his adult children and 5,000 special guests, including Leavitt.
Donald Trump Jr and Bettina Trump, fresh off their honeymoon, will make their first official appearance as a married couple, sources close to the family told the New York Post. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are also expected to be ringside, along with Eric and Lara Trump.
It will be a rare ringside appearance for the first lady, who has attended fights in the past but usually skips them. When the president attended a UFC event in Miami in April, Ivanka Trump was at his side.
Trump’s UFC event headlines America 250 festivities
The White House fight card reflects Trump's long-standing relationship with UFC president Dana White and the sport itself. Trump has attended multiple UFC events during both his political career and presidency, often receiving enthusiastic receptions from fans.
Sunday also marks the president’s 80th birthday. While he and his family will be ringside, rows of bleachers are being built around the eight-sided Octagon for special guests and members of the military.
About 85,000 people are expected to gather on the National Mall's Ellipse, where they will watch the bouts on massive screens.
Excitement is mounting as preparations for the high-profile event continue.
The White House is receiving a facelift ahead of the match. The columns at the north entrance are being repainted white, new landscaping is being added to the grounds, and a large fight cage has been installed on the South Lawn, complete with an overhead lighting system known as “the claw” and rows of bleachers.
The UFC is coming to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Sunday and will use multiple areas of the White House campus for the event.
With members of the Trump family, senior White House officials, major donors, and UFC figures all expected to attend, the guest list underscores the broader significance of the event. As fight night approaches, attention is likely to focus as much on who is sitting cageside as on who is competing inside the Octagon.
