Last-Minute Lawsuit Tries to Knock Out Trump’s UFC Event at White House

(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump’s planned UFC fight on the White House South Lawn to mark his 80th birthday — as well as America’s 250th — could be K.O.’d if some Virginia residents get their way.

UFC chief Dana White is reportedly footing the bill for the $60 million octagon extravaganza that’s currently being built on the lawn of the People’s House.

“This will be one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history, and President Trump hosting it at the White House is a testament to his vision to celebrate America’s monumental 250th anniversary,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told The Hollywood Reporter.

But a last-minute federal lawsuit filed Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents is seeking to put the June 14th mixed martial arts event on ice.

Politico reported that the Trump administration’s approval of the event “violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands.” In addition, the filing argues that Congress “did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space,” and that “no environmental review was conducted before the construction.”

A lawyer for the plaintiffs called the event “fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain. And that is what is motivating this lawsuit.”

In a statement, The White House claimed the the legal challenge was “an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory” attempt to prevent the fight, arguing that it’s “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.”

Neither White nor UFC immediately responded to Politico’s request for comment Sunday.

Meanwhile, crews have been erecting the octagon-shaped cage that Trump has said will feature “a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House.”

Crews are also placing large screens at the nearby Ellipse for overflow viewing. The UFC has said it plans to issue 85,000 free tickets to accommodate what they expect to be a large influx of spectators.

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