A lawsuit filed last weekend is asking a judge to stop a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) event set to take place on the White House South Lawn this week.
The Public Integrity Group filed the lawsuit on behalf of two plaintiffs and argues that UFO CEO Dana White has said that the event does not have anything to do with Trump’s birthday this week. But, according to the plaintiffs, White said the fight was Trump’s idea.
The lawsuit also claims that the fight is a private for-profit event and holds that although officials with the sports entertainment company claim it is absorbing the cost, “the event will likely be profitable for the UFC and its partners.” The filing notes that Ultimate Fighting Championship is selling VIP and sponsorship packages, and that the main ticket will be exclusively streamed on Paramount+.
The plaintiffs, Susan Douglas and Paul Romano, have named the National Park Services and its leadership, the Interior Department and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum as defendants. Douglas, an activist, and Romano, A Vietnam War veteran, claim the event is causing them aesthetic and procedural harms.
The White House and the Lincoln Memorial will be used for the ceremonial weigh-in and “The Claw,” the 92-foot-tall, 600-ton fighting ring that has been erected, which is an improper use, according to the lawsuit.
The suit even claims that Trump may gain from the fight’s earnings, as he recently invested in the company’s parent company, TKO.
An official of the administration responded to requests from NBC News on Monday calling the lawsuit baseless. The suit, the official claimed, was brought “simply to prevent President Trump from hosting what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historic sporting events in our Nation’s history during our semiquincentennial celebration. This iconic event is no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year.”
