Two Virginia residents have initiated legal action to prevent a UFC fight from taking place at the White House, an event planned by President Donald Trump as part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations. The lawsuit, filed by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of a Vietnam War veteran and a civic activist, contends that the structure erected on the White House grounds requires congressional approval and an environmental review, which it has not received.
Concerns Over Financial Gain
The plaintiffs argue that the event is a private, for-profit sports affair that will financially benefit UFC President Dana White and President Trump. They cite a report indicating that Trump purchased $50,000 in stock in UFC’s parent company earlier this year. The lawsuit challenges the administration’s claim that the UFC match is authorized under congressional approval for events celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, asserting that it is more a celebration of the UFC brand and Trump’s 80th birthday.
The event is scheduled for June 14, coinciding with Trump’s birthday, with a weigh-in for fighters planned at the Lincoln Memorial the day before. Plaintiff Paul Romano, a retired Air Force sergeant and Vietnam veteran, expressed his disapproval, stating, “The Lincoln Memorial is sacred ground, and it honors everyone who has ever worn this country’s uniform. Using it as a backdrop for a for-profit cage fight so the President and his friends can make money is a desecration.”
Public Integrity Project’s Stand
Brendan Ballou, founder of the Public Integrity Project, labeled the event a “profoundly corrupt scheme to enrich the President and his friends.” He warned that allowing this fight to proceed could set a precedent for national monuments to be used as branding opportunities for the wealthy and well-connected.
Construction crews are currently assembling a fight cage on the South Lawn, and the White House is overshadowed by a large arched lighting grid, referred to as “The Claw” by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. President Trump has described the event as “the greatest show on Earth.”
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
