Overview

• Trump announced on July 3 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds that a UFC championship fight will be staged on White House grounds in 2026
• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president is “deadly serious” and a UFC official confirmed active discussions with the White House
• Trump envisions a full fight card accommodating 20,000 to 25,000 spectators as part of next year’s semiquincentennial events
• The proposal would mark the first professional sporting contest on federal property and builds on Trump’s decades-long alliance with Dana White dating to UFC cards at his Atlantic City casino
• Key operational questions—including outdoor versus indoor setup, broadcast format and security arrangements—remain unresolved