You may have heard that there’s a historic UFC fight card scheduled for the South Lawn of the White House.
Or maybe you’ve heard that there’s a brutal cage match designed to honor President Donald Trump taking place on National Park Service land.
UFC Freedom 250 has been called “insane” — by people who love the idea, and by people who hate it.
Ultimate Fighting Championship is the world’s most visible mixed-martial arts organization, hosting regular events with fighters from around the globe with a $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount+.
This particular event, taking place on the South Lawn on Trump’s birthday, comes with a deep layer of politics and controversy.
Whether you’re excited for, offended by or curious about the event, here’s a look at how UFC Freedom 250 came to be and what to expect.
Donald Trump and Dana White
Trump and UFC President and CEO Dana White have a 25-year friendship that dates back to when the sport was still banned in 36 states and was derided as “human cockfighting” by Arizona Sen. John McCain.
It was Trump who agreed to host UFC 28 in November 2000 at his Taj Mahal property in Atlantic City. The event was sanctioned by the state of New Jersey and introduced the new “unified rules” of mixed martial arts.
“He saw the potential in the sport,” White told CNN.
White calls Trump “one of my very good friends” in his very small circle of friends. Trump has described White as “an amazing man.”
White has introduced Trump at two Republican national conventions. He was at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner when there was a shooter now charged with an attempted assassination on the president.
When asked by CNN if he was worried about aligning too closely with such a polarizing president, White said, “I don’t care.”
“If you don’t like the fact that I’m friends with Donald Trump, that’s a your problem, not a my problem,” he said.
UFC Freedom 250 venue
Trump first publicly floated the idea of staging a fight at the White House to celebrate America 250 on July 3, 2025. UFC Freedom 250 was officially announced in March.
The event will be held on June 14 — Trump’s 80th birthday.
The process of building a temporary arena on the South Lawn began May 22 with the assembly of what has been called “the claw.”
Two 92-foot-tall perpendicular arches hover over the octagon where the seven fights on the card will take place. The structure is designed by the Belgian company Stageco and was first used for a music festival in Europe, according to ESPN.
The claw weighs 600 tons. It can’t be anchored or dug into the South Lawn, ESPN reported, and a layer of matting was placed underneath to help protect the grass.
White said the setup is designed to maximize visibility of the White House.
Most of the fans in D.C. for the event will experience it from the Ellipse across the street. White says he anticipates 75,000 fans per day.
Trump says it’s never happened before (he’s right) and it’s never going to happen again (we’ll see).
Criticism, challenges and cost
The assembly of “the claw” made the prospect of the event very real and visible — and criticism was quick to follow.
Author and futurist Jamie Metzl called the event “a desecration of the White House, America, our history, and the dignity of the office of the presidency.”
Critics have pointed out that the South Lawn belongs to the National Park Foundation, not the president. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, an LLC called Freedom 250 was created to “execute events, activities, and celebrations in or around national parks.”
“Essentially, this is a hijacking of one of America’s oldest and most well-respected conservation organizations,” Aaron Weiss, director of the Center for Western Priorities, told the Los Angeles Times.
There was even a lawsuit filed to stop the event from happening, calling it a “volcano of corruption.”
A recent Reuters poll says that only 16% of Americans think it’s “appropriate” to stage the fights at the White House, while 46% say it’s inappropriate. Thirty-eight percent didn’t offer an opinion.
One unexpected critic of the event is comedian, podcaster and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan. He’s not a fan of the outdoor venue and said in March that he thinks a fight shouldn’t be held in a “noncontrolled environment.”
As it turns out, weather is a concern. It’s hot and humid in D.C., and there’s a high chance of rain in the forecast — and a 100% chance of bugs, according to Axios.
White says the event will go on — even if they have to wait out a lightning delay.
How much is all this costing? About $60 million, according to a court filing from the National Park Service responding to the lawsuit, plus resources and manpower from seven federal agencies. The $60 million is being paid for by “UFC and UFC-affiliated organizations,” according to the filing.
The White House issued a statement to Time saying, “UFC is funding and paying for this entire event. There are no taxpayer dollars being used outside of what would be applied towards employees normal duties and responsibilities.”
