Two Virginia residents have “filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the UFC fight President Donald Trump is holding at the White House.” The lawsuit was filed Saturday by the Public Integrity Project and argues that the structure built on the White House grounds is “not authorized without congressional approval or environmental review.” It also argues that “the use of the White House grounds ‘to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access’ will financially benefit UFC President Dana White and Trump himself, citing a report in the spring that Trump bought $50,000 in stock in UFC’s parent company," TKO. The lawsuit “pushes back” on the administration’s assertion that the UFC match “falls under the authorization from Congress for events to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.” The lawsuit reads the event is a “celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth” (CNN.com, 6/7).
A Trump official said that “the lawsuit is ‘obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory’ while comparing the upcoming UFC to previous events on the South Lawn.” However, attorneys say that damage to the White House grounds from the construction of the octagon and corporate branding “make the event different” (THE HILL, 6/7).
The Weather Channel’s Jennifer Gray said chances of thunderstorms raining on the UFC Freedom 250 event are “like a flip of a coin at this point.” She said that forecast will be “more accurate” by the middle of the week. Gray: “But as of right now, I couldn’t promise you clear skies and comfortable temperatures for Sunday.” She added “hopefully” the White House and UFC have a plan to get spectators to “shelter if need be, because we do know that these thunderstorms can turn dangerous very quickly” (USA TODAY, 6/7).
