President Donald Trump says he plans to build a 100,000-seat stadium near the White House to host a UFC fight on his birthday.
The president confirmed the MMA event last year, although his critics have branded the plan to build an arena for the event as “Kim Jong Un-level insanity.”
“They are going to put up something that’s really amazing,” Trump told reporters. “It’s really having to do with our great 250th birthday, where we’re having so many wonderful things.
“UFC’s coming, as you know, in front of the White House, where they’re building, literally, a stadium. We’re gonna have over 100,000 people. This is gonna have a lot of…I won’t even say how many people because I think it can set a record for racing. It’s gonna be very, very important.”
Trump made the announcement while holding a meeting in the Oval Office about his executive order to bring an IndyCar street race to the capital.
However, Trump’s critics have slammed the plans to build the 100,000-seat arena.
“Do the American people have a say? Who is paying for this?” one X user asked.
“That is what America needs,” another user wrote on X. “Right now. No Epstein. No war. No dying service members. Let’s talk ballroom.”
“This is Kim Jong Un-level insanity,” author John Pavlovitz wrote on X.
The project would be yet another major real estate project undertaken at the White House by the president.
During his second term, Trump demolished the East Wing in order to make way for a $400 million ballroom and paved over the White House’s rose garden. He has also teased plans to build a huge ceremonial arch for America’s 250th birthday.
Much of the planning around his birthday UFC fight, which will be held on June 14, has been kept under wraps, though.
“We’ve been so secretive about this,” UFC CEO Dana White told iFL TV. “I’ve got boards, which I’m sure you’ve seen, hanging in our War Room. This isn’t even on the boards.
“We bring in a whiteboard, we write the fights down, and then erase them every time we have a matchmaking meeting,” he continued. “Usually, matchmaking meetings are every Tuesday. They’ve been every day for the past two weeks.”
“I’ll announce the whole card this week,” White added. “The card is done.”
Conor McGregor claimed in October 2025 that an appearance by him at the fight was a “done deal,” even going so far as to say that it was “signed.”
Days later, White confirmed that the line-up had not yet been finalised and that negotiations were still ongoing.
Jon Jones has also suggested that he may make an appearance at the fight.
“I’m in negotiations with the UFC about this White House thing,” Jones said. “I’m a very, very, very proud American and I cannot wait to represent one more time, so let’s see what happens.”
