Trump considers keeping 'attractive' UFC Octagon permanently at WH, compares it to Eiffel Tower
🇺🇸⚡️ — President Trump posted a TikTok saying he might leave up the UFC ring at the White House, comparing it to the Eiffel Tower.
— Omar (@Omaruncovered) June 3, 2026
Many don't know that in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, 1889, it was built, it was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World's Fair.… pic.twitter.com/JDwuRa4X2B
WASHINGTON, DC: The hulking 90-foot fighting arena rising over the South Lawn of White House was initially seen as a temporary attraction, but Donald Trump appears so captivated by the structure that he is now weighing whether to make it a permanent fixture.
The iconic Octagon is being built for UFC Freedom 250, a prime-time showdown set against the backdrop of the White House as part of America's 250th-anniversary celebrations and President Trump's 80th birthday festivities.
The event, which the president touted as a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience, is set to take place on June 14, which happens to be his 80th birthday.
Donald Trump compares the octagon to Eiffel Tower
In a new TikTok, the 79-year-old Commander-in-Chief is seen fawning over the ‘attractive’ structure before comparing it to Paris’ iconic Eiffel Tower.
Trump pointed to the Eiffel Tower as an example, noting that the landmark was originally intended to be dismantled after the 1889 World's Fair but ultimately remained in place.
He said, “And then they said, you know, we sort of like it. Let's leave it up a little bit longer. And then they said, Let's leave it up longer and longer and longer.”
“Well, they never took it down. And, you know, we're building something in front of the White House that's quite attractive to a lot of people. It's going to have the big UFC fight on June 14th. And I'm looking at it, and maybe we'll never, ever take it down,” he continued.
The UFC is reportedly spending around $60 million on the project, with CEO Dana White said the promotion would cover the entire cost of the event.
Legal obstruction in Trump’s White House large ballroom
The proposal to keep the Octagon standing arrives amid ongoing legal battles over Trump's decision to tear down the White House's East Wing and replace it with a large ballroom.
The project remains mired in legal controversy, with courts ruling against Trump's authority to proceed unilaterally, though appeals have prevented construction from being halted.
Trump previously warned against the obstruction, directly calling out US District Judge Richard Leon for giving in to a "serial plaintiff" and a "ridiculous lawsuit", putting US national security at risk.
"The DronePort at the White House Ballroom will be, perhaps, the most sophisticated anywhere in the World!" Trump wrote on Sunday on Truth Social. "It will safeguard our Nation’s Capital, Washington, DC, long into the future."
Trump urged Leon to dismiss the lawsuit from a person he described as a "highly litigious woman," warning the judge would be "held responsible" if an attack hits the White House.
