WASHINGTON (AURN News) — A legal battle is underway over President Donald Trump’s plan to host a UFC event on the White House South Lawn. Two Washington-area residents have filed a federal lawsuit against the National Park Service and the Interior Department, asking a judge to block what is being called UFC Freedom 250, a mixed martial arts event scheduled for June 14.
The event would include fights on the South Lawn, fighter walkouts from the Oval Office and a ceremonial weigh-in at the Lincoln Memorial. The lawsuit argues the event violates federal rules that generally prohibit sporting events at both locations and claims the administration improperly used a special America 250 exemption intended for government-organized semiquincentennial celebrations.
Plaintiffs also challenge the construction of a massive steel structure known as The Claw, which court filings describe as a “92-foot-tall, 600-ton structure.”
They argue the project required congressional approval and an environmental review before construction began.
