A federal lawsuit filed Saturday seeks to halt an Ultimate Fighting Championship event scheduled for the White House South Lawn this week, marking another legal challenge to a Trump administration project.
The Public Integrity Project, a watchdog group, filed the suit on behalf of two plaintiffs: Susan Douglas, an activist, and Paul Romano, a Vietnam War veteran. Both claim they will suffer aesthetic and procedural harm from the event, which is set for June 14, Trump's birthday.
The fight, billed as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration, features a 92-foot-tall, 600-ton fighting ring called "The Claw" that has already been erected on the South Lawn. UFC CEO Dana White, a Trump ally and former campaign surrogate, has denied the event is a birthday celebration, though the lawsuit alleges it was Trump's idea and the timing is no coincidence.
The suit challenges whether the White House and National Park Service can legally host a private, for-profit event on federal property. Despite UFC claims that it is absorbing all costs and not selling tickets, the lawsuit argues the organization stands to profit significantly through VIP packages, sponsorship deals, and exclusive broadcasting rights. The main card will stream exclusively on Paramount+, while preliminary fights air on cable networks.
The lawsuit names the National Park Service and its leadership, along with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the Interior Department, as defendants. The suit also alleges the structure was erected without congressional approval and that preliminary weigh-ins scheduled at the Lincoln Memorial constitute improper use of federal monuments.
Another point of contention in the filing centers on Trump's financial interests. Trump disclosed an investment of between $15,000 and $50,000 in TKO, UFC's parent company, made in March. The lawsuit suggests the president could benefit from the event's earnings.
The White House promoted the event Sunday night on social media, posting videos of "The Claw" under construction alongside footage of Trump at previous UFC events. "Buckle up. It's about to go DOWN," the post read, calling it "the biggest fight in UFC history." Neither the White House, the National Park Service, nor the UFC responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The legal challenge follows a pattern of opposition to Trump administration projects. Earlier, a lower court paused construction of a Trump-backed ballroom in the East Wing of the White House, a decision the administration has appealed. The administration also faced a lawsuit challenging plans for a triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery.
Trump's use of federal property for high-profile events has precedent. Last year, he presided over a military parade honoring the Army's 250th anniversary on his birthday.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The UFC fight looks like it's becoming a test case for what private interests can do on the nation's lawn, and this lawsuit signals the fight over that question has only just begun."
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