During a rally in Iowa on Thursday, July 3, Donald Trump made a bold announcement regarding next year’s 250th anniversary of American independence.
He revealed that the celebration would include a variety of major events across the country—one of the most headline-grabbing being a UFC championship fight held right on the White House grounds, with an audience of up to 25,000 people.
Trump told the crowd that UFC president Dana White would be overseeing the planning of this unprecedented event.
“We’re going to have some amazing things—some professional, some amateur,” he said.
“Does anyone watch UFC? The great Dana White? We’re going to have a UFC fight—think about this—right on the White House lawn. We’ve got plenty of space. A full championship match. Around 20,000 to 25,000 attendees.”
In addition to the proposed fight, Trump said that every U.S. national park, battlefield, and historic site would host special events as part of the America250 celebrations, marking the quarter-millennium since the nation’s founding.
Following Trump’s announcement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt hyped the idea, calling it, “EPIC!”
While many cheered the announcement and expressed excitement about a UFC fight being held at the President’s official residence, not everyone was on board.
Some took to social media to express disbelief and concern. One user wrote, “Trump just announced a UFC match on the White House lawn with 25,000 spectators. We’re becoming a global joke.”
Another added, “Please tell me I misheard that.”
A third person simply wrote, “This has to be satire. There’s no way this is real.”
Still, there were others who saw the idea as bold and attention-grabbing, with some even praising the creativity behind it.
One supporter commented, “Hosting sports events in iconic locations is a gutsy move. It might be controversial, but it gets people talking.”
Another added, “UFC is insanely popular. If the White House is the stage, why not?”
The announcement even caught the attention of Irish MMA star Conor McGregor, who expressed his enthusiasm on Twitter.
“Happy 4th of July, USA. Excited with President Trump announcing a UFC event at the White House. I’d be honored to participate. Count me in!”
McGregor didn’t stop there.
He went on to say, “July 4th next year falls on a Saturday. By then, I’ll have been President of Ireland for nearly a year. I’ll step onto the White House lawn ready to fight. This is going to be massive. Or as I call it—just another Tuesday at the office. Vote McGregor.”
Whether or not the White House will actually host a full-scale UFC event remains to be seen—but the idea has already stirred significant excitement, controversy, and plenty of speculation