New York — A federal lawsuit seeks to halt an upcoming UFC fight card on the South Lawn of the White House in a mixed martial arts show dedicated to President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The filing submitted by the Public Integrity Project on Saturday on behalf of two Virginia residents asserts that the Trump administration’s permit for the June 14 event was illegal. The lawsuit says the approval violates National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events in federal parks, Congress did not approve the towering arch overlooking the event space and no environmental review was conducted before construction.
“This is essentially a private, commercial and corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain,” said Brendan Ballou, an attorney for the plaintiffs. “And that is the motivation behind this lawsuit.”
The White House said in a statement that the legal challenge was a “baseless, obstructionist, and stonewalling” attempt to prevent Trump from hosting the fight and that the event “is no different from various other events hosted by the White House on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and the National Mall throughout the year.”
Construction continues on the arena on the South Lawn of the White House for a future UFC mixed martial arts fight, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Washington.
AP Photo/John McDonnell
The UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
The crew is building an octagon-shaped cage on the south lawn. Trump said the eventual UFC project would have a “5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.” Additional large screens will be set up to broadcast the fights at a park near the Ellipse, and the UFC said it plans to issue up to 85,000 free tickets to accommodate spectators at both sites.
The octagon and surrounding structures are the latest project in the Trump-led White House construction boom.
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