The idea has already ignited a storm of ridicule and controversy.
His 80th birthday
Donald Trump announced his plans for the celebrations of his 80th birthday on June 14, alongside the 250th anniversary of American independence, something the president has long wanted to see, as he prepares to host a UFC match on White House grounds.
A major event
In September, according to The Hill, the White House promised a major event with «fireworks and light shows» to mark the combined celebration days.
At the White House
But Trump officially announced with enthusiasm, during his speech to Navy personnel marking the Navy’s 250th anniversary, that a major UFC fight is planned: «On June 14, next year, we’re going to have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House on the grounds.»
A political theater
For critics, it underscores a pattern, from his 79th birthday parade to this planned White House fight, of bending patriotic celebrations into political theater.
Fitting for Las Vegas
The idea has already ignited a storm of ridicule and controversy. Trump, a longtime fixture at UFC events and a close friend of UFC president Dana White, has often reveled in the sport’s brash style. But, hosting a cage fight at the presidential residence is being called by opponents a cheap stunt, more fitting for Las Vegas than the White House lawn.
The priorities
California Governor Gavin Newsom mocked Trump’s plan to host a UFC fight at the White House with a sarcastic post on X. Sharing official renderings of the event, he wrote: «Thank god they are focused on the priorities of all Americans.»
Controversy
On June 14, 2025, Donald Trump marked his 79th birthday with a military parade in Washington, D.C., coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. What was intended as a grand display of patriotism quickly became a lightning rod for controversy and ridicule.
A glorified personal celebration
For many observers, the display felt less like a national tribute and more like a birthday spectacle for Trump. The timing, coinciding exactly with his 79th birthday, only reinforced accusations that the Army’s anniversary had been used as cover for a glorified personal celebration.
The most polarizing and surreal spectacles
Trump’s UFC birthday bash is set to be one of the most polarizing and surreal spectacles of America’s 250th year. Hailed by some as historic, mocked by others as humiliating.