Trump UFC fight live: Judge rejects attempt to shut down cage match on White House lawn
The fight is on. A federal judge has rejected an attempt to block Donald Trump’s UFC cage match from taking place after a lawsuit accused the administration of a “deeply corrupt” scheme to line the pockets of his allies.
A hulking superstructure is taking over the White House lawn for Sunday’s fight, coinciding with the president’s 80th birthday and marking the first-ever private sports event held there.
Crews have finished installing a 92-foot-tall “Claw” above the octagon-shaped stage for UFC’s Freedom 250, surrounded by arena-style seating and plastered with brand names and company logos, including Polymarket and Bud Light.
The event — in tandem with a White House-backed celebration of the nation’s 25th anniversary — will hold more than 4,000 people, and a nearby park is expected to hold more than 120,000 visitors for a watch party.
A federal lawsuit threatened to derail the event before it started. The last-minute lawsuit accused the administration of giving the UFC “unfettered access” to turn public landmarks into profitable billboards.
UFC committed $60 million to the event, according to court filings. The event is expected to draw multi-million dollar sponsorships as well as revenue through a broadcast agreement with Paramount +, a streaming platform operated by Trump allies.
White House officials say the UFC is covering costs for the unprecedented production, but several federal agencies have “allocated significant resources and manpower,” officials say.
Trump has become DC’s developer-in-chief
From the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for his ballroom to plans for a 250-foot-tall Triumphal arch on the Potomac River, Trump is racing to leave a massive physical imprint on Washington, D.C. that will endure long after he leaves office.
Brendan Rascius has more on the developer-in-chief:
Trump has become DC’s developer-in-chief
The White House says Trump is beautifying the capital, but, writes Brendan Rascius, Democrats and other critics claim he’s skirting standard approval processes and squandering taxpayer funds on self-indulgent boondoggles
Alex Woodward12 June 2026 18:20
Breaking: Judge rejects attempt to shut down White House cage match
A federal judge has rejected a request for an injunction that would have blocked the Trump administration from holding Sunday’s fight.
The ruling follows a lawsuit from the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two civic activists who accused the administration of a “deeply corrupt” scheme to line the pockets of the president’s allies.
Judge Amit Mehta said the plaintiffs “have not satisfied their burden” of facing “irreparable harm” if the event takes place.
They have fallen short of proving that they will be “directly affected” by the event, which they don’t plan to attend.
“The for-profit elements of UFC Freedom 250 have long been known,” and the absence of congressional approval and environmental review “is not new information,” the judge wrote.
The judge also stressed that the stage and all other materials will be coming down immediately after the fights.
Alex Woodward12 June 2026 18:15
What’s happening at the Lincoln Memorial?
A press conference kicking off the weekend is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET at the Lincoln Memorial.
According to court filings in a lawsuit aiming to block the event from taking place, fighters will enter the Lincoln Memorial — “each accompanied by a child” — and be filmed walking through a lower chamber and down the steps to a press conference area.
Alex Woodward12 June 2026 18:00
A-listers snub UFC fight on heels of Freedom 250 concert fiasco
Several celebrities who were reportedly invited to Donald Trump’s UFC cage fight have no plans to show up.
The high-profile snubs follow the collapse of the Freedom 250 concert series on the National Mall, after all but a handful of artists dropped out.
Trump has threatened to cancel the whole series and is now hosting a kick-off event featuring Lee Greenwood and, of course, himself.
Alex Woodward12 June 2026 17:30
Analysis: Trump eclipsing America 250 with his own birthday celebration is exactly what we deserve
Holly Baxter on what America deserves versus what America gets:
Alex Woodward12 June 2026 17:00
Look inside the UFC Freedom 250 octagon on the White House lawn
The White House South Lawn has officially been turned into a makeshift Ultimate Fighting Championship arena, with a massive, 600-ton steel arch erected above a red, white and blue octagon and a limited number of temporary stadium seating.
Ariana Baio12 June 2026 16:00
