A federal judge in the US today refused to prevent the White House from hosting an "ultimate fight" (UFC) event on its lawn this weekend - an extreme mixed martial arts fight - to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US and the 80th birthday of President Donald Trump.
Referee Amit Mehta allowed organizers to use the White House's South Lawn, where a special ring has already been set up, for the match scheduled for Sunday.
UFC fighters compete in a ring or cage. They can win by knockout, submission (forcing their opponent to surrender), or by decision after a certain number of rounds. The rules are strict, with weight classes and the prohibition of moves such as gouging out eyes, biting, and groin kicks.
The lawsuit against the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior was filed by lawyers for the nonprofit organization Project for Public Integrity, on behalf of an activist and a Vietnam War veteran, to prevent the "UFC Freedom 250" event, organized by Trump, from taking place.
Prosecutors asked the court to stop the organizers from building any structures on the White House grounds, including a 600-ton, 28-meter-high metal structure called "The Claw."
The alleged "aesthetic damage," the judge wrote, is only temporary, as "The Claw" will be dismantled as early as Monday, the day after the match, while the equipment installed at the Lincoln Memorial must be removed before then.
"The President's daydreaming about the permanence of the 'Claw' does not change the matter, given the clear position of White House officials" that it will be removed, the judge wrote.
Mehta concluded that the plaintiffs likely had no legal basis to challenge the holding of the event, and that they had not proven that they would suffer irreparable harm by holding it.
The judge also cited "unreasonable delay" in filing the lawsuit, given that the event was announced months ago.
"In the context of this urgent filing – coupled with the fact that the UFC fight date has long been known – it is fair to say that plaintiffs have unreasonably delayed bringing the case, undermining their own claim that they are suffering irreparable harm," Mehta wrote.
The White House described the lawsuit as a baseless attempt to prevent Trump from organizing an event that, they say, is no different from numerous other events held in public spaces in Washington.
Mehta was nominated as a judge by former US President Barack Obama from the Democratic Party.
He has tried several cases against Republican Trump, including the trial related to Trump's incitement of supporters to storm the Capitol on January 6, 2021, after he lost the presidential election to Democrat Joseph Biden.
According to lawyers for the plaintiffs, the Trump administration does not have the authority to issue permits for sporting events on the South Lawn of the White House or at the Lincoln Memorial, where UFC fighters planned to hold a press conference in front of fans.
They state that this is a privately organized and profitable business venture, with VIP packages costing millions of dollars.
"The President's administration is giving the UFC an extraordinary business opportunity that it might not be able to approve under the law, and in return, the UFC is hosting an event where its management, fighters, advertisers and numerous celebrities will honor the President on his birthday," the plaintiffs' lawyers wrote.
During his first term, Trump became the first US president to attend a UFC competition during his term in office in 2019.
Trump is a longtime friend of UFC President and CEO Dana White.
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