Donald Trump used an Oval Office appearance at the White House on Wednesday to unveil renderings for a UFC event on the South Lawn, flanked by fighters Alex Pereira, Ciryl Gane, Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria ahead of the 14 June card in Washington. In footage and reports from the event, the president called it 'the greatest show on earth' and said the wider setup would allow crowds in the capital to watch on giant screens.
Trump first floated the idea last July and UFC chiefDana Whitelater confirmed the promotion would stage the event as part of the America250 celebrations. The date is not incidental. It falls on Flag Day and Trump's 80th birthday, which gives the whole production a distinctly Trumpian blend of politics, pageantry and personal branding.
The renderings shown in the Oval Office were designed for spectacle. Fox News reported that the plan includes 4,000 seats close to the octagon, with the White House lit behind a raised arch over the cage, while Trump said as many as 100,000 people could watch in Washington using eight large screens.
He was clearly enjoying himself. 'I'm a big sports fan. There are no people tougher in sports than the people behind me,' Trump said, according to footage and reports from the event, adding that he knew them all. Gaethje returned the favour, calling it 'an unbelievable honor' and crediting Trump with backing the UFC in its early years when the promotion was still struggling for legitimacy.
Trump just dropped the ultimate mic drop 🔥UFC on the WHITE HOUSE South Lawn, June 14th — with the White House lit up as the backdrop.4,000 seats. Massive screens for 75-100k more. Real American energy on Flag Day for America 250.This is what winning looks like. No one…pic.twitter.com/3p7fUpBXU8
For Trump, it is a made for television show that folds combat sports into the visual theatre of the presidency. For the UFC, it is an extraordinary venue and a promotional coup that no ordinary fight night could match.
Not everyone saw it as harmless spectacle. According to Irishstar, some online critics called Trump a'moron'and argued that showcasing an octagon and plans for aWhite House ballroomlooked jarringly out of step with the pressure many Americans feel over everyday costs.
Those complaints landed because the contrast is easy to grasp. While Trump leafed through glossy renderings in the Oval Office, critics in the source article were talking about petrol prices, food bills, housing, healthcare and support for veterans and teachers. It is a familiar political charge, but in this case the optics did much of the work on their own.
Dana White has previously said the UFC, not taxpayers, will cover the production bill for the White House event. He also said replacing the South Lawn grass alone could cost around $700,000, with other reports putting the likely repair bill closer to $1 million.
Trump holds up a rendering of what the UFC fight at the White House will look like on his birthday(Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty)pic.twitter.com/0LUrIdCIE3
Source: International Business Times UK
