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White House boxing match on Trump's birthday is illegal, lawsuit claims

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A lawsuit seeks to block a mixed martial arts event, UFC Freedom 250, scheduled for Donald Trump's birthday at the White House.
  • Plaintiffs argue the event is illegal, citing the transformation of a historic public space without proper congressional approval or environmental review.
  • The lawsuit also highlights concerns about potential financial gains for Trump and his associates from ticket sales and streaming rights.

A lawsuit has been filed to prevent a mixed martial arts event, dubbed 'UFC Freedom 250,' from taking place at the White House on the 80th birthday of former President Donald Trump.

Filed in Washington's federal court by Vietnam War veteran Paul Romano and political activist Susan Douglas, the suit argues the event is illegally planned. They contend that Trump has modified the historic public space of the White House without obtaining the necessary congressional approval or conducting environmental reviews.

The event is scheduled for June 14th on the South Lawn, in front of the Oval Office. Preparations include the installation of a 600-ton steel arch structure and an "Octagon cage," the standard ring used in UFC competitions. A pre-fight weigh-in event is also planned at the nearby Lincoln Memorial.

President Trump is providing Dana White and his company something no one has ever received before. Unlimited access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to host a sporting event with promotional and branding opportunities.

— PlaintiffsDescribing the alleged improper use of public spaces and benefits provided for the event.

Plaintiffs also detailed concerns about the event's potential for undue financial benefit. Premium tickets are reportedly priced at over $1 million, and Paramount SkyDance, a media company owned by Trump associates Larry Ellison and David Ellison, is set to receive streaming fees. The lawsuit notes that Trump purchased shares in UFC's parent company, TKO Group Holdings, in March.

While Trump claims the event honors American Independence Day, the plaintiffs point out that the event occurs three weeks before the July 4th holiday. The lawsuit states, "President Trump is providing Dana White and his company something no one has ever received before. Unlimited access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to host a sporting event with promotional and branding opportunities." The plaintiffs assert the event is not a commemoration of America's 250th anniversary and is not planned or executed by the federal government.

The White House, in a statement to The New York Times, called the lawsuit "baseless" and asserted that the event is "no different" from other events hosted at the White House. UFC has not yet commented on the lawsuit.

baseless

— White HouseResponding to the lawsuit in a statement to The New York Times.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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