A federal lawsuit has been filed to halt the upcoming UFC fight scheduled to take place on the White House South Lawn. The event, planned as part of the celebrations for President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the nation’s 250th anniversary, is facing legal challenges from the Public Integrity Project, representing two Virginia residents.

Lawsuit Details

The lawsuit, filed on Saturday, argues that the Trump administration’s authorization of the June 14 event is unlawful. It claims that the approval violates National Park Service regulations, which prohibit sporting events on federal parklands. Additionally, the plaintiffs contend that Congress did not consent to the construction of a towering arch overlooking the event space and that no environmental review was conducted prior to the construction.

Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, stated, “This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain.” The lawsuit aims to prevent what it describes as an inappropriate use of federal lands.

White House Response

The White House has dismissed the legal challenge as “an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory” attempt to prevent the event. They argue that the UFC fight is “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.”

Preparations for the event are already underway, with crews erecting an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn. President Trump has announced that the finished project will feature “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.” The UFC plans to issue up to 85,000 free tickets to accommodate spectators at both the South Lawn and the nearby Ellipse, where large screens will broadcast the fights.

The UFC has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.