TLDR
- Trump says the UFC arena on White House South Lawn may stay permanently after the June 14 event
- President compared the structure to Paris’s Eiffel Tower, which was originally meant to be temporary
- The 90-foot arena will hold 4,500 spectators for the Freedom 250 fight card celebrating Trump’s birthday and July 4th
- UFC is spending at least $60 million on the event and $700,000 to restore the lawn afterward
- The arena features steel arches with American flag patterns and dozens of cameras
Sources: theguardian.com
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the Ultimate Fighting Championship arena being built on the White House South Lawn may never be taken down after its scheduled use later this month.
In a video posted to his official TikTok account, Trump compared the temporary structure to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He explained that the famous landmark was built for the 1889 world’s fair and was supposed to be removed immediately afterward.
“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,'” Trump said in the video. “Well, they never took it down.”
Trump then applied this example to the UFC arena currently under construction. “We’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people,” he said.
ONE WEEK AWAY from #UFCWhiteHouse 🇺🇸
[ SUN JUNE 14 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus | Presented by @Cryptocom & @RamTrucks ] pic.twitter.com/8b79bVD1kg
— UFC (@ufc) June 7, 2026
Construction Details and Event Plans
Workers have spent recent weeks assembling the octagonal ring on the South Lawn. The structure features 90-foot steel arches called “The Claw” with dozens of cameras attached.
The arena displays overlaying patterns of the American flag across its frame. It will stage seven fights on June 14, marking both Trump’s 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
The Freedom 250 card will include two title fights. Ilia Topuria will face Justin Gaethje for the lightweight belt, while Alex Pereira takes on Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title.
Trump told reporters last month the arena will accommodate 4,500 spectators for the event. Most attendees will be military members, with no public tickets available.
An extra 75,000 to 100,000 people will watch on screens from the Ellipse near the White House.
Costs and Restoration Plans
The UFC is covering all construction costs for the arena. Mark Shapiro, president of TKO Group Holdings, the UFC’s parent company, said the total production cost will reach at least $60 million.
Shapiro stated the event will not turn a profit. The costs include construction, fighter pay, and fan gatherings.
UFC president Dana White said his organization will spend approximately $700,000 to restore the grass on the South Lawn after the event. This restoration will be necessary due to damage from the heavy structure and large crowds.
The Eiffel Tower’s architect, Gustave Eiffel, successfully advocated to keep his creation as a monument to Paris after it was supposed to be demolished in 1909. The structure was originally intended to stand for only 20 years.
The UFC arena represents the latest in a series of White House renovation projects Trump has undertaken since his reelection. He has added gold details to the Oval Office, paved over a section of the Rose Garden, and demolished the East Wing to build a ballroom.
The Freedom 250 fight card has received mixed reactions from fighters and fans in the MMA community.
