Lawsuit seeks to stop UFC event on White House lawn
June 8 (UPI) -- The Public Integrity Project has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over hosting a UFC event on the White House's South Lawn.
The lawsuit, filed Saturday, alleges that the event violates National Park Service regulations, circumvents congressional authority and is meant to benefit President Donald Trump and his allies. Among those allies is Dana White, CEO of the UFC, who supported Trump during his presidential campaign.
"The president is giving White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access," the lawsuit reads. "The UFC is not being coy about the event's pecuniary nature. One executive recently called it 'the greatest earned-marketing tool of all time.' And he is far from the only one salivating at the business upside."
The event is scheduled for June 14, which is Trump's 80th birthday. However, it has been advertised as being part of a celebration of the United States' 250th anniversary, which is not until July 4.
White has called the timing of the event a "coincidence."
The lawsuit points to the 92-foot-tall, 600-ton steel structure that has been erected on the South Lawn for destroying much of the lawn. It also notes that the erection of such a structure on national monumental grounds must be authorized by Congress.
Trump also stands to benefit from the event financially, the lawsuit alleges. In May, it was reported that the president bought up to $50,000 in TKO stock. TKO owns the UFC and WWE.
The Public Integrity Project is representing two plaintiffs in the case: Paul Romano, a retired Air Force sergeant and Vietnam veteran, and Susan Douglas, a senior citizen activist and organizer.
"The Lincoln Memorial is sacred ground, and it honors everyone who has ever worn this country's uniform," Romano said in a statement. "Using it as a backdrop for a for-profit cage fight so the President and his friends can make money is a desecration."
The lawsuit alleges that the UFC is selling VIP packages for between $1 million and $1.5 million. It also notes that the event may only be watched by those who are not in attendance by paying $8.99 plus tax for a Paramount Plus subscription. Larry Ellison is the majority owner of Paramount Skydance Corporation and his son, David Ellison, is its CEO and board chair.
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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 8:15 AM.