A federal judge has ruled that a UFC fight at the White House on President Trump’s birthday can proceed despite a legal challenge.
Published June 12, 2026
A US federal judge has refused to block a mixed martial arts fight from being held at the White House, allowing the administration to move forward with an event scheduled for President Trump’s birthday on Sunday.
U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta ruled Friday that the plaintiffs challenging the event failed to adequately demonstrate the harm that would result from allowing the UFC to proceed.
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“Given the circumstances of the emergency filing and the fact that the UFC fight date was known long in advance, it is fair to say that the plaintiffs have unreasonably delayed filing the lawsuit, undermining their claims for irreparable harm,” Mehta wrote.
A fighting ring has already been constructed at the White House, and its original purpose was to celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of independence with an event called UFC Freedom 250.
The construction prompted a lawsuit from the nonprofit Public Integrity Project, whose lawyers, representing activists and U.S. Vietnam War veterans, argued that building The Crow, a 92-foot-tall (28-meter), 600-ton steel structure on the White House grounds, would be “aesthetically disastrous.”
They also suggested inappropriate intimacy between the president and organizations and individuals seeking to profit from the fight.
“The President’s administration has provided unique business opportunities to the UFC that are not legally available, and in return, the UFC hosts an event on the President’s birthday that brings together leaders, fighters, advertisers, and various celebrities to pay tribute to the President,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.
Mr Mehta said there were no concerns about aesthetic damage as The Crow will be dismantled and removed starting Monday.
“Even as the president muses about keeping his nails permanently, the dial does not move in the face of clear statements from White House officials,” the judge said.
