Trump hints at keeping UFC setup on White House lawn after event

President likens South Lawn setup to Eiffel Tower Area will stage Freedom 250 fight card on 14 June Donald Trump has floated the idea of permanently keeping the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) arena that is being constructed on the White House South Lawn for a series of fights later this month. In a video posted on his official TikTok account on Tuesday, the president likened the structure to the Eiffel Tower. Continue reading...

The U.S. President compared the UFC's claw structure on the White House South Lawn to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 02: Construction continues for the upcoming UFC match alongside the ballroom addition on the South Lawn of the White House on June 2, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Donald Trump is hosting a UFC match on the White House grounds in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) | Getty Images President Donald Trump is all in on the upcoming UFC White House event and he doesn’t see why the good times can’t continue to roll after June 14. Construction is well underway for the historic show set to take place next Sunday at the White House in Washington, D.C., and while numerous logistic issues are still being worked out, the public now has a better idea of how the structure for the event will actually look. It’s unclear how long the setup is supposed to remain on the White House lawn, but Trump has a suggestion as to when to remove it: Never. “Many don’t know that in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, 1889, it was built,” Trump said on TikTok. “It was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World’s Fair. They said, ‘You know, we sort of like it. Let’s leave it up a little bit longer.’ And then they said let’s leave it up longer and longer and longer. Well, they never took it down. “You know, we’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people. It’s going to have the big UFC fight on June 14. And I’m looking at it and maybe we’ll never, ever take it down.” @realdonaldtrump MAYBE WE’LL NEVER EVER TAKE IT DOWN ♬ original sound – President Donald J Trump Trump’s take on the Eiffel Tower is slightly inaccurate. While it’s true the international landmark was not initially meant to be permanent, it’s deconstruction was to occur in 1909, 20 years after the 1989 World’s Fair, not “immediately after.” It was eventually decided the tower would become a permanent fixture due to its utility in scientific experiments, including being used as a support antenna for wireless broadcasting. Today, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Only time will tell if Trump’s prediction is correct and the structure being erected for the UFC White House event earns similar prestige. UFC White House takes place June 14 and is headlined by a lightweight title unification bout between champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje. Former two-division champion Alex Pereira looks to become the first fighter to become a three-division UFC titleholder when he fights Ciryl Gane for a vacant interim heavyweight belt.

Donald Trump compares UFC White House structure to Eiffel Tower

Donald Trump has raised the possibility of leaving the UFC Freedom 250 octagon on the South Lawn of the White House after the event. The octagon is being built ahead of UFC Freedom 250, which is scheduled for 14 June 2026 and is tied to celebrations around America’s 250th anniversary.

U.S. president Donald Trump has responded to critics regarding the massive stage setup being built on the White House lawn to host UFC Freedom 250, suggesting maybe he’ll leave it there forever following the fights on Sunday, June 14th. Those of us in the MMA bubble have been reading for months about UFC CEO Dana […]