UMVA has learned that a lawsuit has been filed in federal court to stop a highly anticipated UFC fight on the White House South Lawn, scheduled for Sunday, June 14.
The lawsuit, filed by two Virginia residents and the Public Integrity Project, claims that the event, billed as 'UFC Freedom 250,' is a corrupt plan to benefit UFC CEO Dana White, a close friend and ally of President Trump, and to promote the UFC brand.
The suit argues that the use of the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event is illegal, and that the event's true purpose is to celebrate Trump's 80th birthday, which coincides with Flag Day, rather than America's 250th anniversary.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the lawsuit highlights Trump's comments in a recent video, where he compared the 92-foot-tall, 600-ton steel structure, called 'The Claw,' to the Eiffel Tower and suggested that he might never take it down.
The structure, which will host the UFC fight, is being erected on the White House grounds without congressional approval or environmental review, the lawsuit claims, and will financially benefit UFC President Dana White and Trump himself.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Trump bought $50,000 in stock in UFC's parent company, raising concerns about the true motives behind the event.
The lawsuit pushes back on the administration's assertion that the UFC match falls under the authorization from Congress for events to celebrate America's 250th anniversary, arguing that the event is actually a celebration of the UFC's brand and Trump's birthday.
A Vietnam War veteran and a civic activist, who filed the lawsuit, argue that using the Lincoln Memorial as a backdrop for a for-profit cage fight is a desecration of sacred ground, and that the event will enrich Trump and White at the expense of the American people.
The White House has released mock images of what 'The Claw' will look like on the night of the big fight, but the lawsuit aims to stop the event from taking place, citing concerns about corruption, illegality, and the misuse of public spaces.
