President Donald Trump‘s White HouseUFC event was designed to look like a once-in-a-lifetime collision of sports, politics and celebrity power. But days before fight night, the guest list is becoming its own drama.
UFC Freedom 250, scheduled for June 14 on the White House South Lawn, is being promoted as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. It also falls on Trump’s birthday, a detail that has made the already unusual event even harder to separate from the president’s personal brand.
The A-List Problem
High-profile celebrities reportedly declined invitations.MEGA
According to Vanity Fair, several celebrities linked to UFC President Dana White‘s guest list are not expected to attend, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Adam Sandler, Jared Leto and Mario Lopez. The reported declines are notable because White had floated a starry invite list that also included Guy Ritchie, Tom Brady and Jason Statham.
The $60 million event, promoted as the biggest fight in UFC history, is being staged around “The Claw,” a 92-foot-tall, 600-ton fighting structure erected on the South Lawn. But if the night is meant to show Trump surrounded by famous faces, celebrity dropouts complicate that picture.
The South Lawn fight is drawing growing scrutiny.MEGA
“To protect the celebrity’s brand, especially in Hollywood, they need to disengage from Trump. Otherwise it may result in fewer job opportunities,” said human behavior expert and media analyst Dr. Lillian Glass. “It is a reality as celebs have reported work drying up as a result. So it’s in their best interest to stay away to be safe in Hollywood. We may see more noisy declines from celebs who want it known that they do not want the association.”
Another Entertainment Rollout Hits Resistance
Organizers face pressure ahead of fight night.MEGA
The UFC invite trouble comes after another America 250 celebration ran into its own booking chaos. The Great American State Fair concert lineup began falling apart after several artists said they had been told the show would be nonpartisan. Performers including Milli Vanilli, Bret Michaels and Martina McBride pulled out, while Trump later announced a “rally to end all rallies” instead.
“We don’t want singers with no talent, but big fees to put you to sleep; we’ve told them all to stay home,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The UFC event now risks a similar storyline.
A Lawsuit Adds Pressure
A federal lawsuit challenged the event’s legality.MEGA
The event is also facing a federal lawsuit filed June 6 by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two plaintiffs. The suit asks a judge to stop the UFC fight, arguing that the South Lawn and Lincoln Memorial are being improperly used for a “private” and “for-profit” event.
The lawsuit against the National Park Service, the Interior Department and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, among others, claims “The Claw” was erected without congressional approval. It alleges that UFC, which is not named as a defendant, and its partners could benefit financially, including through VIP and sponsorship packages and the Paramount+ broadcast of the main card.
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