US Judge Allows UFC Fight at White House for Trump's Birthday
A federal judge declined to block a mixed martial arts match scheduled at the White House on President Trump's birthday, rejecting claims of aesthetic harm and improper ties.
A United States federal judge has ruled that a planned UFC fight at the White House can proceed as scheduled on Sunday, which coincides with President Donald Trump's birthday. The decision came on Friday from US District Judge Amit Mehta, who denied an emergency request to halt the event.
The lawsuit, filed by the nonprofit Public Integrity Project on behalf of an activist and a Vietnam War veteran, challenged the construction of a 92-foot-tall (28-meter), 600-tonne steel structure called "The Claw" on White House grounds. They argued that the structure would cause aesthetic harm and that the event represented an improper closeness between the president and UFC, which would benefit from the exposure.
"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 wrote in their legal filing.
Judge Mehta noted that the plaintiffs had unreasonably delayed bringing the lawsuit, as the fight date had been known for a long time. He also highlighted that The Claw is set to be dismantled beginning Monday, which undercuts claims of permanent aesthetic harm. "The President’s musings about permanency of the Claw does not move the dial in the face of a White House official’s clear representation," the judge wrote.
The event, dubbed UFC Freedom 250, is part of celebrations for the United States' upcoming 250th anniversary of independence. A fighting ring has already been erected on the White House lawn.
