One week ahead of the White House hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, a public interest law firm is attempting to stop the high-profile sports event from taking place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a lawsuit filed this weekend, the Public Integrity Project — representing a political activist and Vietnam veteran — claimed the event was improperly permitted, skipped an environmental review, and is an extraordinary use of public land to benefit President Donald Trump and his allies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They asked a federal judge to declare the authorization for the event, framed around the country\u2019s 250th anniversary, unlawful. Scheduled to take place on Sunday, which is also President Trump\u2019s birthday, the UFC plans to host a mixed martial arts event in a caged\u00a0octagon\u00a0on the South Lawn of the White House, as well as host thousands of fans at the nearby Ellipse.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe President is giving [Dana] White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access,\u201d the lawsuit said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The White House and UFC did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Calling the event \u201cdeeply corrupt,\u201d the lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration improperly used a temporary rule for \u201cAmerica 250\u201d to bypass the permitting requirements normally required to host events on National Park Service land. They argue that because the event is being organized by a private\u00a0entity, not the federal government, and is not explicitly \u201cfor the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence,\u201d the\u00a0fight\u00a0does not qualify for that temporary rule.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is not in any material sense a \u2018celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence\u2019\u2014it is, instead, a celebration of the UFC\u2019s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump\u2019s birth,\u201d the lawsuit said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"America\"](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/f0afc2b6-17e9-45b4-9f26-929fce38cc75\/dc-reno-2-gty-jef-260605_1780682525608_hpMain_2.jpg?w=375 "\\"America\\"")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>Preparations continue for the Ultimate Fighting Championship Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn on June 05, 2026 in Washington, DC.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The lawsuit also alleged that the construction of the 600-ton steel arch over the South Lawn should have undergone an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lawsuit was filed by a retired government employee who frequently attends protests and other events near the National Mall and White House as well as a Vietnam War veteran who said he frequently enjoys the DC landscape while working part-time as a rideshare driver. The lawsuit alleged they are suffering \u201caesthetic, dignitary, and procedural harms as a result of Defendants\u2019 unlawful acts.\u201d<\/p>\n Lawsuits challenging Trump\u2019s attempt to reshape the White House and\u00a0DC\u00a0have had a mixed track record, in part because judges are often skeptical if plaintiffs have standing to sue. A judge attempted to block\u00a0construction\u00a0of Trump\u2019s ballroom before his ruling was lifted by an appeals court. Lawsuits challenging his planned arch, golf course\u00a0renovations\u00a0and the repainting of the reflecting pool have so far been unsuccessful in stopping work. As of Sunday, the case was assigned to Judge Amit Mehta, an appointee of former President Barack Obama.<\/p>\n In addition to alleging improper permitting and a lack of a necessary environmental review, the lawsuit alleged\u00a0that\u00a0Trump and his allies are\u00a0profiting from the event. The lawsuit noted that Trump owns some stock in UFC\u2019s parent company,\u00a0that\u00a0the UFC is selling VIP packages for more than $1 million while offering sponsorships to an overseas cryptocurrency exchange, and how the fight is being streamed through the UFC\u2019s broadcast partner Paramount Skydance.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n