Former President Trump’s plan to mark his 80th birthday with a live UFC event on the White House lawn has raised eyebrows, particularly from ex-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who questions the suitability of the venue.
Greene shared her thoughts with NewsNation, a sister network of The Hill, expressing her fondness for UFC events but questioning whether the White House grounds are the right setting for such an occasion. “I enjoy a good UFC match, but I don’t think the White House lawn is the proper place for it,” she remarked in an interview airing Saturday.
She further argued that taxpayer money might be better allocated elsewhere. “We have more pressing needs to address with public funds,” Greene added. “Still, I hope it turns out to be a successful event, and I always wish the best for the President and everyone involved. We’ll see how it unfolds.”
In preparation for this event, federal agencies and UFC organizers have invested over $60 million to set up a 92-foot-tall, Octagon-shaped ring on the South Lawn. The event is part of the celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary and is expected to feature six high-profile fights.
According to the Justice Department, more than 4,000 attendees are anticipated, with an additional 120,000 viewers following the action on screens at the nearby Ellipse. The event has been dubbed “one of the most eagerly awaited” spectacles of the summer.
But while some are brimming with excitement, others have been notably less warm to the idea due to its perceived political undertones and the corporate branding involved.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted this month found that just 16 percent of Americans said it was appropriate for Trump to hold the event at the White House, compared to 46 percent who said the opposite. A little more than one-third of respondents answered “neither” or said they were unsure.
A federal judge on Friday declined to halt the event, finding that two Virginia residents who argued it was “deeply corrupt” had no legal standing to bring their challenge.
The head of UFC’s parent company, TKO, told The Hollywood Reporter this week that the organization would “not be making money on America’s 250th anniversary.”
UFC President and CEO Dana White joined Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week to sign a memorandum of understanding that establishes a public-private partnership between the administration and the organization.