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MMA: Donald Trump celebrates 80th birthday with lavish White House event

From Le Figaro · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday with a large-scale MMA event at the White House, featuring UFC fights.
  • The event, dubbed "Freedom 250," included a massive entrance arch and drew thousands of guests, including notable figures like Mark Zuckerberg.
  • Critics questioned the lavish spending amid the Iran conflict and the appropriateness of mixing a political symbol with a combat sports spectacle.

President Donald Trump marked his 80th birthday by transforming the White House lawn into an arena for a major Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, featuring bouts organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The spectacle, named "Freedom 250," coincided with the announcement of a peace agreement with Iran, with its signing slated for Friday in Geneva.

Trump made a grand entrance under a towering 28-meter-high metallic arch adorned with American colors, which surpassed the height of the presidential residence. Below this arch was the octagon, the cage where seven MMA contests took place under the UFC banner, led by Dana White, a close associate of the president. The event was described as a lavish production, with over 4,000 select guests in attendance, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Paramount boss David Ellison, an ally of Trump.

This is not a pro-Trump rally. It's simply America.

— Nyles RifeDescribing the nature of the event held at the White House.

An estimated 100,000 spectators gathered in an adjacent park to watch the fights on giant screens. Some victorious fighters paid tribute to the president. The event, reportedly costing $60 million, drew criticism from various quarters. Opponents denounced the extravagant spending, particularly given the ongoing conflict in Iran, although the White House stated that the UFC covered the costs. Others found the blend of a combat sports show with the symbolic significance of the American democracy's seat to be questionable.

Nyles Rife, an attendee and MMA enthusiast, acknowledged he wasn't Trump's biggest fan but felt the president, as the leader, was entitled to use the venue. "If I were in the same situation, I would do the same thing!" he remarked. The event was framed as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, with Rife asserting, "This is not a pro-Trump rally. It's simply America."

If I were in the same situation, I would do the same thing!

— Nyles RifeExpressing his view on Trump's use of the White House for the MMA event.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Figaro in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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