A federal lawsuit has been filed to stop the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship event scheduled for the White House South Lawn, timed to coincide with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations.
Lawsuit Alleges Unlawful Authorization
The complaint, submitted Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents, argues that the Trump administration's approval of the June 14 event was unlawful. It claims the authorization violated National Park Service regulations that prohibit sporting events on federal parklands, that Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space, and that no environmental review was conducted before construction began.
“This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain,” said Brendan Ballou, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. “And that is what is motivating this lawsuit.”
Construction Underway
Crews are already erecting an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn. The White House responded to the legal challenge, calling it “an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory” attempt to prevent Trump from hosting the fight. The statement added that the event is “no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year.”
UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Event Details
Trump has stated that the finished UFC project will feature “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.” Additional large screens broadcasting the fights will be set up in a park at the nearby Ellipse. The UFC has said it plans to issue as many as 85,000 free tickets to accommodate spectators at both locations.
The octagon and surrounding structures represent the latest project in the White House building boom that Trump is leading.
