The New York Times reported on the 7th that “UFC Freedom 250,” a mixed martial arts event scheduled to be held on the White House South Lawn on the 14th—President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday—is facing a lawsuit.
According to the report, two individuals, including political activist Susan Douglas and Vietnam War veteran Paul Romano, filed a lawsuit the previous day in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., requesting that the event be stopped. The case has been assigned to Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed during the administration of former President Barack Obama.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs alleged that President Trump is granting UFC CEO Dana White and his company privileges that no one else has ever enjoyed, citing unrestricted access to the White House and the Lincoln Memorial to host private, for-profit sporting events, as well as all associated promotional and brand exposure opportunities, as these privileges.
While the event is being held at the White House, the fighters’ official weight-in takes place at the Lincoln Memorial. The plaintiffs also focused their criticism on the improper financial gains resulting from the event. They pointed to reports that premium tickets are selling for over $1 million, the fees Paramount Skydance—a media company owned by President Trump’s close associates Larry Ellison and David Ellison—to receive for streaming the event, and the fact that President Trump purchased between $15,000 and $50,000 worth of stock in TKO Holdings Group, the UFC’s parent company, last March.
Additionally, the plaintiffs noted that the event is taking place three weeks prior to the 250th U.S. Independence Day. The complaint stated, “This event is not intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, and crucially, it is not an event planned, organized, or executed by the federal government.”