President Donald Trump watches a match during the UFC 327 event at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, April 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump will hold a UFC fight card on the White House grounds to ring in his birthday this weekend, and as The Hill reported this week, newly released court documents have exposed the eye-watering price tag that the event has cost, so far.
Thanks in large part to Trump's friendship with UFC CEO and longtime political supporter Dana White, the UFC Freedom 250 show is set to take place at the White House on Sunday, June 14. The event, which has become a lightning rod for criticism and controversy, has necessitated the construction of a 5,000-seat venue, complete with a massive ring and lighting structure, amping up critiques about Trump's desecration of the White House.
The project has also racked up a hefty price tag, The Hill reported this week, based on court documents from a lawsuit brought against the National Parks Service by Virginia residents, aiming to halt the event altogether.
"Federal agencies and the UFC are spending at least $60 million to pull off the White House cage fight set to take place Sunday, which is President Trump’s birthday," The Hill detailed. "The funds have gone toward building an octagon fighting arena on the White House South Lawn, purchasing and delivering food and paying up to 900 workers to remain on-site since May 20 for the event’s success, according to court filings."
The UFC event has also required extensive help from numerous federal agencies.
"The Executive Office of the President, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Park Police, Interior Department, National Park Service, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Aviation Administration are each involved in coordinating the event — part of the administration’s celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday," the report added.
“In preparation, well over $60 million and tens of thousands of hours of labor have been expended," the government explained in a recent court filing. "More than 4,000 spectators are expected to attend on the South Lawn, including more than 1,000 members of our armed services, and more than 120,000 visitors are expected to watch from the nearby Ellipse after winning free tickets in a lottery... Many of the event’s attendees will visit from outside the capital region, and have already invested personal resources in lodging, air transportation, and other arrangements... Fourteen world-class athletes, who have been training for months, have traveled from all over the world to compete (including for two world championships).”
TKO, parent company of the UFC and WWE, has claimed that it will be funding the Freedom 250 event at a loss, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime stage as a strategic investment to drive subscriber acquisition at Paramount+," the streaming service operated by Trump ally, David Ellison.