Two residents from the Washington area are seeking court intervention to prevent President Donald Trump from holding an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House next week, according to legal documents filed in federal court.
The residents submitted their request on Sunday to U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, asking for an emergency order to stop the mixed martial arts competition and prevent the construction of a massive metal structure known as “the Claw” on the South Lawn of the executive mansion.
Judge Mehta responded on Monday by requesting attorneys to establish a timeline for addressing the urgent petition.
The planned event, titled “UFC Freedom 250,” is scheduled to align with President Trump’s 80th birthday celebration on June 14. The competition would take place within a towering octagon-shaped cage measuring 92 feet in height, with fighter weigh-ins planned for the Lincoln Memorial.
The legal challenge, submitted to the court on Saturday, claims that approvals granted by the National Park Service and Interior Department were improper and should be overturned.
“This nation’s public monuments should not be loaned out for private exploitation,” the plaintiffs said.
White House officials responded by characterizing the legal action as an “obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit” and defended the planned event by stating it “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.”
The legal filing argues the event breaks regulations that prohibit sporting competitions on the South Lawn and at the Lincoln Memorial, and claims the construction of such a large arena facility needs approval from Congress.
This legal challenge adds to other ongoing court cases involving Trump’s construction initiatives at the White House and throughout the capital, including his plan to build a 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing, and his proposal to renovate and close The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
