Judge to rule on lawsuit challenging UFC White House event

An advocacy group filed an injunction requesting to block the UFC event from being held on the South Lawn of the White House, arguing "aesthetic harms" caused by the Octagon and temporary seats constructed.

A federal judge on Friday ruled to allow the White House to stage a UFC event Sunday in an elaborate ring already built on the South Lawn.

A federal judge declined to halt this weekend's UFC fight set to be held at the White House.

The structure, known as "The Claw," for the upcoming UFC fight that US President Donald Trump will host as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States is seen on the South Lawn of the White House during a media preview in Washington, DC, June 11, 2026. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event will be held on US President Donald Trump's 80th birthday on June 14. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images A Federal judge has shut down an attempt to stop the UFC’s upcoming card at the White House scheduled for Sunday. A last-minute effort to prevent the card from happening was filed on June 6 with the plaintiffs Susan Douglas and Paul Romano seeking an injunction by arguing that the event would improperly commercialize public space and damage landmarks such as the south lawn of the White House and the Lincoln Memorial, which is where the UFC White House press conference is scheduled to take place on Friday. The argument was government officials should have obtained congressional approval for the event before the UFC built a massive structure known as “the claw” on the White House lawn where the event is scheduled to take place. But U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta disagreed and handed down his ruling on Friday, dismissing the lawsuit as the UFC White House card moves forward as scheduled. “Because Plaintiffs fail to establish both a substantial likelihood of standing and irreparable harm, and because the equities and public interest weigh against emergency relief, Plaintiffs’ Emergency Application for a Temporary Restraining Order or, in the Alternative, an Expedited Preliminary Injunction, ECF No. 3, is denied,” Mehta wrote in his ruling released on Friday. The judge also questioned the timing of the lawsuit, which was filed just a week away from the UFC card taking place. “The public has known that the White House would be hosting a UFC fight event since President Trump first announced it in July 2025,” Mehta wrote in his ruling. “Equipment and materials for the event began arriving at the White House around May 20, 2026 and construction of the Claw began six days later. “Plaintiffs, however, waited until June 7, 2026 – more than two weeks after visible preparations commenced at the White House – to seek emergency relief.” With that ruling, the UFC White House card moves forward as scheduled with the card taking place on Sunday night with the fights kicking off at 8 p.m. ET with the event airing live on Paramount+.

UFC Freedom 250 has been given the green light to take place on the White House South Lawn after a federal judge rejected a legal bid to stop the event. Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the June 14 event can proceed, despite a lawsuit that questioned how the approvals for the card were granted.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Friday refused to halt a planned UFC fight on the White House's South Lawn.

Judge Amit Mehta in Washington DC federal court has ruled that UFC Freedom 250 can be held on the grounds of the White House on Sunday.

Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C., federal court has ruled that UFC Freedom 250 can be held on the grounds of the White House on Sunday, June 14.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit over the UFC event set to be held at the White House June 14 filed a reply that allows the judge to rule when he's ready.