Less than two weeks before the historic UFC Freedom 250 event, President Donald Trump has suggested that the Octagon currently being assembled on the White House South Lawn might remain in place indefinitely. In a social media video posted on Tuesday, June 2, the President compared the MMA structure to one of the world’s most famous landmarks (via realdonaldtrump on TikTok):
@realdonaldtrump MAYBE WE’LL NEVER EVER TAKE IT DOWN
“Many don’t know that in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, 1889, it was built, was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World’s Fair,” Trump said in a TikTok video. “And then they said, ‘You know, we sort of like it, let’s leave it up a little bit longer.’”
The comments come as construction crews put the final touches on “The Claw,” a massive lighting grid and octagon setup designed to host the first-ever major professional sporting event on presidential grounds.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Trump noted that Paris ultimately “never took” the tower down, hinting that the UFC arena could share the same destiny.
“We’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people,” the 79-year-old President continued. “It’s going to have the big UFC fight on June 14th, and I’m looking at it, and maybe we’ll never, ever take it down.”
The arena is expected to hold approximately 5,000 guests surrounding the cage, with additional viewing on massive screens at the Ellipse.
UFC Freedom 250 Details
Scheduled for June 14, UFC Freedom 250 coincides with both Flag Day and President Trump’s 80th birthday. The event is part of the broader celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
The fight card lineup features a lightweight title unification bout in the main event between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, and a co-main event between former two-division champion Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. Other notable bouts include Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi and Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus.
Scott Taetsch/Zuffa LLC-GettyImages
Trump has been heavily involved in promoting the spectacle, telling Fox News that he expects record-breaking viewership for the Paramount+ broadcast:
“It’s right at the front door to the White House, and you’ll never see it again,” Trump said, while simultaneously floating the idea of making it permanent. “I’ve been involved in a lot of big events. I have never had an event that has had more interest than the UFC fight we have right at the front door.”
While the President seems enamored with the aesthetic of the structure, it’s highly unlikely that the executive branch has the authority to permanently install a fighting arena on the South Lawn without congressional approval. Trump’s suggestion follows recent legal challenges regarding his authority to demolish portions of the White House complex for other renovations.
Regardless of whether or not the structure will remain standing after UFC Freedom 250, the event is moving forward as planned for June 14.