A federal judge on Friday rejected an attempt to halt a UFC event planned for the White House South Lawn this Sunday, clearing the way for mixed martial arts fights to proceed on Donald Trump's 80th birthday as part of celebrations for the nation's 250th anniversary.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that organizers may proceed with the "UFC Freedom 250" show, which includes an elaborate steel structure called The Claw standing 92 feet tall and weighing 600 tons.
The Public Integrity Project, a nonprofit organization, had filed suit on behalf of an activist and a Vietnam War veteran, seeking to block both the event and all construction on the presidential grounds. The plaintiffs argued that Trump's administration lacks the authority to permit a for-profit sporting venture on federal property, especially one offering VIP packages worth millions of dollars.
"The President's administration is granting the UFC an extraordinary business opportunity it may not lawfully grant, and in exchange the UFC is throwing an event at which its leadership, fighters, advertisers, and various celebrities will all pay tribute to the President on his birthday," the plaintiffs' legal team contended in court filings.
The lawsuit named the National Park Service and the Interior Department as defendants. Plaintiffs also challenged plans for UFC fighters to hold a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial on Friday ahead of the main event.
The White House dismissed the legal challenge as baseless, arguing that the event is no different from many others routinely hosted at public venues across the nation's capital. Trump has long been a UFC enthusiast, becoming the first sitting president to attend a UFC show in 2019. He maintains a close friendship with UFC president and CEO Dana White.
Judge Mehta, nominated to the federal bench by Barack Obama, has presided over several Trump-related cases, including the civil lawsuit stemming from the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
Author James Rodriguez: "The judge's decision clears the runway for what amounts to the most unusual birthday party ever thrown at the White House, but the broader question of whether presidents can hand exclusive venue rights to private sporting enterprises at federal landmarks remains unresolved."
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