WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump rang in his 80th birthday Sunday with two major moments: announcing an early-stage agreement to bring the conflict in Iran to a close, and hosting a professional cage-fighting event on the historic South Lawn of the White House.
The president had been talking up the emerging Iran deal for weeks, and the ongoing conflict had threatened to cast a shadow over the UFC mixed martial arts spectacle, where fighters inside a wire-mesh Octagon competed to defeat each other through punches, kicks, and grappling.
Before the event got underway, however, Trump announced the agreement to end the fighting “is now complete.” He said the United States would lift its blockade of Iran and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen — though significant details still remain to be worked out in the weeks ahead.
Senior administration officials and Republican congressional leaders were on hand for the fights, among them Secretary of State Marco Rubio and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Polish President Karol Nawrocki was also present at the White House.
The evening opened with Trump and UFC president Dana White walking side by side from the Oval Office to the Blue Room Balcony to take in the view of the Octagon, standing together as fighter jets roared overhead during the national anthem.
A massive temporary arena was packed with thousands of spectators beneath “The Claw,” a striking metal arch resembling a spacecraft, outfitted with lights, speakers, and giant video screens. Thousands more fans watched the action on large screens from the nearby Ellipse.
“This event is a one of one event, incredible event,” White said during a Friday night preview gathering at the Lincoln Memorial, where fighters faced off for the cameras beneath the marble statue of Abraham Lincoln.
Before the night’s main event, lightweight fighters Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje each made their entrance by walking out of the Oval Office itself before heading to the Octagon — a gesture that had Trump temporarily giving up his own workspace for the spectacle.
American fighter Gaethje went on to defeat Spanish-Georgian Topuria in an upset after four bloody rounds. Trump later entered the cage himself to greet the fighters and stayed to watch a fireworks show that launched well after 1 a.m.
Throughout the night, many victorious fighters offered thanks to both Trump and God from inside the cage. Heavyweight Josh Hokit went further, making an extraordinary and baseless attack rooted in a right-wing conspiracy theory targeting a former first lady: “Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?” Hokit also approached Trump and draped a chain around the president’s neck.
Despite the summer heat, Trump wore a suit and tie throughout much of the evening, often watching the bouts stone-faced through the cage’s wire mesh. At one point, he briefly chatted with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
When American fighter Sean O’Malley faced Canadian Aiemann Zahabi, Trump put on a white USA hat. After Zahabi won, he shook the president’s hand and offered a salute. Earlier, Trump was seen speaking with first lady Melania Trump during the opening bout between Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia. After Bo Nickal knocked out Kyle Daukaus in the second fight, Nickal walked over to Trump and knelt beside him for a brief conversation.
“I gotta thank President Trump for making this happen,” Nickal said in a post-fight interview as Trump smiled nearby, calling the president a “special person” — after which Trump’s signature song “YMCA” played over the speakers.
Trump framed the event as part of broader celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The fights were so central to his plans that the G7 summit of industrialized nations was pushed back to allow Trump to attend his cage-match celebration before flying to Europe for the meetings.
Crowds repeatedly broke into chants of “USA! USA!” when American fighters squared off against foreign opponents, though those chants didn’t always translate into victories — at least until the final bout. Brazilian fighter Mauricio Ruffy, after winning his match, proposed to his girlfriend in the crowd, who flashed a thumbs-up in what observers noted was a very Trumpian moment.
The evening stood in sharp contrast to how Trump’s predecessor, President Joe Biden, spent his own 80th birthday. Biden marked the milestone in November 2022 with a quiet private family brunch at the White House.
Asked about the difference between the two celebrations, White House spokesperson Allison Schuster issued a statement calling the UFC event “one of the most entertaining nights in American history.”
When Biden turned 80, he was the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, and was just months away from launching a reelection campaign he would eventually abandon following a poor debate performance against Trump and growing opposition within his own party.
