Federal Judge Approves UFC Event at White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has permitted the White House to host a UFC event on its South Lawn this weekend. This event is part of the nation’s 250th-anniversary celebrations and coincides with President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta denied a legal group’s request to stop the use of the White House lawn for this UFC mixed martial arts event scheduled for Sunday. Judge Mehta concluded that the plaintiffs lack legal standing to challenge the event and have not demonstrated any potential irreparable harm that could result from it proceeding as planned. Additionally, Mehta noted the plaintiffs delayed their lawsuit despite the event being planned for months.

“In the context of an emergency application, and given the advance knowledge of the UFC fight date, it is clear that Plaintiffs unreasonably delayed suing, weakening their claims of irreparable harm,” Mehta wrote.

The nonprofit Public Integrity Project filed a lawsuit on behalf of an activist and a Vietnam War veteran against Trump’s “UFC Freedom 250” event. They also sought to stop the construction of a 92-foot-tall, 600-ton steel structure called The Claw on White House grounds. Mehta addressed concerns about “aesthetic harms” by stating that these are temporary, as the structure will be disassembled starting Monday. The White House asserted that the lawsuit aimed to unjustly prevent Trump from hosting an event similar to others held in public spaces in the capital.

Plaintiffs argued that the Trump administration lacked the authority to permit sporting events on the South Lawn or at the Lincoln Memorial. They highlighted the event’s private, for-profit nature, with VIP packages costing millions, as a breach of legal norms. The plaintiffs claimed that the event was a business opportunity improperly sanctioned in exchange for public tribute to the President.

“This isn’t about a sporting event; it’s about corruption, as a few individuals and companies stand to benefit from our public monuments,” stated Brendan Ballou, attorney for the Public Integrity Project.

The lawsuit named the National Park Service and the Interior Department as defendants. Historically, Trump attended a UFC show in 2019 during his first presidential term. Judge Mehta, appointed by President Obama, has overseen numerous Trump-related cases, including litigation stemming from the January 6 Capitol attacks after Trump’s election defeat to President Joe Biden.