President Donald Trump is hosting a UFC event on the White House grounds as part of celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary. The fights also fall on the president’s 80th birthday. A huge structure called the “Claw” has been erected on the South Lawn, framing the UFC “Octagon.” A three-day event has expanded far beyond the White House and National Mall, with complex security measures, road closures and facilities to accommodate tens of thousands of attendees. UFC is fronting $60 million in production costs, but taxpayers are also footing part of the bill. While it’s generated enthusiasm among MAGA allies and supporters, the expensive event is one of several personal projects drawing rebukes from Trump critics and skepticism from some Republicans, particularly in light of the war with Iran driving up costs for consumers. The president is expected to leave for the G7 summit in France immediately after the fights.
The event has been criticized for not showcasing some of the sport’s biggest stars and for showcasing fighters who aren’t Americans. The main event on Sunday will be a lightweight title fight between undisputed champion Ilia Topuria and interim title holder Justin Gaethje — a matchup that professional boxer and influencer Jake Paul, a friend of the Trump administration, recently criticized.
A federal judge rejected a request from two Virginia residents to block President Donald Trump from hosting tonight’s UFC fights at the White House. The decision last week from US District Judge Amit P. Mehta came in a case brought by two people who argued the privately run event cannot be lawfully held on the White House’s South Lawn or the Lincoln Memorial, where other aspects of the festivities took place Friday before today’s main event.
The event has grown substantially more than expected. At a June 2025 appearance at the Iowa state fairgrounds, where Trump announced plans for the fight that he billed as a celebration commemorating the country’s 250th birthday, he predicted it would bring 20,000 to 25,000 people. The new court documents show roughly 125,000 guests are expected, and that another 75,000 people requested tickets.
The site of tonight’s UFC event in the capital is included in a severe thunderstorm watch, and we’ll be tracking conditions as the evening goes on. More than 12 million people in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and far eastern West Virginia are under the watch until 11 p.m. ET, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Storms are most likely to arrive in DC between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET, but will remain possible through at least 9 p.m. The main card takes place at 8 p.m. ET. There is a possibility that the timing of fights could shift due to lightning, a White House official said. Fight times could get moved up or back.
President Donald Trump will watch the fights on the South Lawn with roughly 4,000 others, including members of his Cabinet, first lady Melania Trump and other family members. The president worked closely with UFC head and longtime friend Dana White to plan the unique event. The UFC has retained control of most of the tickets, but Trump is personally selecting who among his staff gets the rest, two White House officials said.
The event has been part of a larger spectacle, with the UFC transforming the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building into a makeshift locker room for fighters ahead of tonight’s event. The site of tonight’s UFC event in the capital is included in a severe thunderstorm watch, and we’ll be tracking conditions as the evening goes on. More than 12 million people in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and far eastern West Virginia are under the watch until 11 p.m. ET, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Storms are most likely to arrive in DC between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET, but will remain possible through at least 9 p.m. The main card takes place at 8 p.m. ET. There is a possibility that the timing of fights could shift due to lightning, a White House official said. Fight times could get moved up or back.
