A federal lawsuit filed Saturday seeks to halt the UFC fight event planned for the White House South Lawn on June 14, arguing the Trump administration unlawfully approved the mixed martial arts spectacle tied to President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and the broader Freedom 250 celebrations marking the nation's 250th anniversary.
The lawsuit, filed by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents, contends the administration violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parkland and failed to conduct required environmental reviews before construction began.
The suit also argues Congress never approved the installation of a large arch overlooking the event site.
"This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain," Brendan Ballou, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told POLITICO.
The White House dismissed the lawsuit as "an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory" effort to block the event, saying the UFC card was "no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year."
Construction crews have already begun assembling an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn. Trump previously said the venue would feature "a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House," while UFC officials have discussed issuing up to 85,000 free tickets across the White House grounds and nearby Ellipse viewing areas.
The event is part of the administration-backed Freedom 250 initiative, which has faced mounting scrutiny in recent weeks. According to TIME, several musicians announced for Freedom 250 concerts later withdrew after describing the events as politically charged. Trump responded by proposing "A Rally to end all Rallies" instead of relying on "overpriced singers."
The UFC card has also reportedly struggled to attract some celebrity invitees. Euronews reported that Adam Sandler, Jared Leto and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson were among high-profile guests invited by UFC president Dana White who are not expected to attend.
The broader Freedom 250 initiative has additionally drawn criticism over donor access and corporate sponsorships. Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen has called for congressional investigations after reports that donors contributing $1 million to Freedom 250 were offered access to the president.
A recent YouGov poll found that 51% of Americans disapprove of the White House UFC event, with many respondents viewing it as a celebration centered more on Trump than on the country's semiquincentennial anniversary.
