Jun 7, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, UNITED STATES; CEO of UFC Dana White talks with the President of the United States Donald Trump during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Washington D.C. – President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Ultimate Fighting Championship will hold a mixed martial arts event on the White House lawn as part of a nationwide celebration for the United States’ 250th birthday in 2026.
Speaking at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Trump told supporters that “we’re going to have a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House,” describing the lawn as “a lot of land” and claiming the event would be attended by up to 25,000 people. Trump did not say how far along planning was for the event, and a UFC spokesperson confirmed only that a fight card is in the works, with further details to be announced “in due time.”
The proposed event is part of what Trump described as a broader effort to commemorate America 250, a nationwide celebration of the country’s semiquincentennial. “Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events,” he said. But it was the idea of a full-scale professional cage fight at the president’s residence that drew the most attention.
The prospect of a UFC event at the White House raises both logistical and symbolic questions. Presidents have used the White House grounds to host everything from Easter egg rolls to state dinners, but never a full-contact sports competition. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media that Trump was “dead serious” and described the potential fight as “EPIC!”
UFC President Dana White, a longtime Trump ally, has yet to comment publicly, but he has appeared regularly at Trump campaign rallies and shared the stage with him at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Former UFC champion Conor McGregor, who has not fought since 2021, posted on social media that he would be “honoured” to compete at the event.
Trump’s ties to combat sports stretch back decades. In the 1980s and ’90s, he hosted high-profile boxing matches at his Atlantic City properties. More recently, he has become a fixture at UFC events, often appearing cageside alongside political allies and celebrities. In June, Trump attended a UFC fight in Newark. Just days after his 2024 election win, he appeared at Madison Square Garden for another pay-per-view card, alongside Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and future cabinet pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
While no official permits have been filed and key planning details remain vague, Trump has positioned the UFC bout as a centerpiece of his vision for America’s 250th birthday — a spectacle merging patriotism, political showmanship, and his enduring affinity for bloodsport.
