Lawsuit Filed to Halt UFC Freedom 250 Event at White House Over Legal Concerns
With UFC Freedom 250 set to take place at the White House South Lawn this upcoming weekend on June 14, a brand new lawsuit filed by Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents, Paul Romano and Susan Douglas, seeks to stop the event.
The complaint, filed late Saturday, June 6, argued that UFC Freedom 250 is a private, for-profit sports event taking place on public property. It also comes shortly after President Donald Trump expressed interest in keeping the UFC "Claw" up even after the event finishes.
Official Complaint
According to the official press release from the Public Integrity Project, the complaint encompasses three grounds on which the presidential administration's authorization of the event is considered unlawful: violation of National Park Service regulations, a lack of congressional authorization for the UFC-built "Claw" structure, and cost to taxpayers.
"This is a profoundly corrupt scheme to enrich the President and his friends," said Public Integrity Project founder, Brendan Ballou, in the release. "If this fight is allowed to proceed, it will be only the beginning, and our national monuments will become little more than branding opportunities for the rich and well-connected. We plan to stop that."
The lawsuit is also a bipartisan effort, as Romano, a Vietnam War veteran, has run for office as a Republican, while Douglas is a Democratic organizer.
Romano says in the press release, "The Lincoln Memorial is sacred ground, and it honors everyone who has ever worn this country's uniform. Using it as a backdrop for a for-profit cage fight so the President and his friends can make money is a desecration."
"These monuments belong to all of us Americans, not to Dana White, not to advertisers like Crypto.com, and not to Donald Trump," Douglas remarked in the release. "We're asking the court to enforce the law because the administration refuses to."
UFC and Presidential Response
The Trump administration has responded to the lawsuit in an email to ESPN sent on Sunday, June 7.
The statement reads, "This is an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit brought simply to prevent President Trump from hosting what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historic sporting events in our Nation's history during our semiquincentennial celebration."
"This iconic event is 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."
The UFC's parent company, TKO, has previously addressed claims that the organization will profit from the event. According to an article from The Hollywood Reporter, TKO president Mark Shapiro told Wall Street analysts that the event is projected to cost around $60 million and will not turn a profit.
UFC CEO Dana White has not yet responded to the lawsuit, but it is unlikely that the UFC will back down, with the UFC Freedom 250 event promotion already in full swing.
Criticism for the event also comes from UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who expressed his concerns about the event security as well as the outdoor conditions that may affect fighters. Dana White responded to Rogan's criticism, asserting that the White House event is not a "gimmick."
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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 12:55 AM.