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Trump will host cage match at the White House
The UFC fight will take place on the White House lawn on July 4, 2026, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's independence.
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On July 4, 2026, President Trump plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's independence by hosting a UFC match on the White House lawn. It is an odd choice to mark what Trump describes as "the most important milestone in our country’s history." The UFC is growing in popularity, but it did not exist until 1993.
The decision, however, is consistent with Trump's approach to the presidency and the White House. Whenever possible, Trump leverages the power and prestige of the office to financially benefit himself, his family, and his political allies.
Last month, Trump publicly floated the prospect of hosting a UFC fight at the White House with up to 20,000 fans next year, commenting that the White House has "a lot of land." In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, UFC CEO Dana White said, "It's definitely going to happen." White told CBS that Trump said he would like his daughter, Ivanka, to help with the planning. Trump is scheduled to meet with White and his daughter at the end of August to iron out the details.
White is one of Trump's most outspoken and influential supporters. At major UFC events in the U.S., "it's become a tradition for the main card to begin with a choreographed entrance by Trump and White, usually joined by Kid Rock or other celebrities." While Trump has been booed while attending baseball games and other events, he would be greeted by cheers from a raucous UFC crowd, as "millions of young male voters" watched from home.
UFC fighters have embraced Trump. After the fighter Jon Jones won a championship belt at Madison Square Garden shortly after the election, he thanked Trump for attending and then left the ring before presenting the belt to Trump.
Trump has been a supporter of the UFC for decades. In the early 2000s, when the UFC had no gloves and few rules, many venues refused to host their events. But many fights took place at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
Today, UFC is owned by TKO Group Holdings, which is also the parent company of WWE wrestling. Linda McMahon, the Secretary of Education and a major Trump fundraiser, owns over $50 million worth of stock in TKO.
Beyond the UFC, White "used his connections to leverage appearances for Trump on friendly, right-leaning podcasts with millions of young listeners." White said the podcasts gave young voters a chance to "see who Donald Trump really is… [n]ot the bullshit you hear from the far-left media." White also appeared at campaign events and was chosen to introduce Trump at the 2024 Republican convention.
After the election, Trump invited White on stage during his victory speech. He not only thanked White but also several of the right-wing podcasters that he met through White. "Donald Trump is tougher and more badass than anybody," White told the New Yorker last November.
In return for White's loyalty, Trump is turning the 250th anniversary of America's independence into a promotional event for the UFC. The marketing value of such an event is incalcuable — the White House is normally not available for rent. But White himself has described the White House fight as "a one-of-one event."
The announcement of the White House fight coincided with UFC's new deal with Paramount, which will have the exclusive rights to air fights. Paramount is reportedly paying UFC $7.7 billion over seven years. Paramount secured the deal after the Trump administration approved the company's merger with Skydance. That approval came after Paramount agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle a frivolous lawsuit Trump filed against CBS News, a Paramount subsidiary.
The ethics of hosting a UFC fight in the White House
If Trump were considered a federal government employee, hosting a UFC fight at the White House would be impermissible.
Employees of the federal government "may not use their public office for their own private gain; for the endorsement of any product, service, or enterprise," according to federal regulations. Further, federal government employees are prohibited from using public office "for the private gain of friends, relatives, or persons with whom the employee is affiliated in a nongovernmental capacity."
The president, however, is exempt from federal ethics rules. Most presidents attempt to comply with these rules anyway. Trump does not.
How Trump exploits the presidency
This is not the first time that Trump has leveraged the White House and the prestige of the presidency to financially benefit himself and those close to him.