• The United States President, Donald Trump, is set to host a UFC cage fight on the White House South Lawn as part of celebrations for his 80th birthday and America's 250th anniversary
• A giant arena called "The Claw" has been built for the event, featuring 14 UFC fighters competing inside the iconic Octagon
• The $60 million UFC Freedom 250 event has sparked criticism, with opponents calling it inappropriate amid economic challenges and ongoing conflict with Iran

For his 80th birthday, the United States President, Donald Trump, is hosting what may be one of the most unusual events ever seen at the White House, a blood-soaked UFC cage fight right on the South Lawn.

A massive arena called "The Claw" has been erected ahead of Sunday's tournament, which will feature 14 Ultimate Fighting Championship contestants battling it out in front of thousands of spectators.

The event, officially dubbed "UFC Freedom 250," reportedly cost $60 million and has already sparked criticism. Opponents say the spectacle feels out of touch, especially as Trump's war in Iran continues to drive up living costs for everyday Americans.

Trump, however, sees things differently.

According to him, the event is a fitting way to kick off celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. It also happens to coincide with his own birthday. Trump has also insisted that UFC is covering all the costs.

But beyond the patriotic messaging, the president appears to be embracing the tough-guy energy that UFC is known for. The event will feature fighters going head-to-head inside the sport's famous mesh-enclosed cage, the Octagon.

"They're the roughest people you'll ever meet," Trump told the New York Post on Thursday, June 11. "If you haven't seen it much, you're not going to believe it."

Trump's connection to UFC isn't new. He has long-standing ties with leaders in the sport and has attended several major fights over the years. Those appearances helped strengthen his popularity among young male UFC fans, a demographic that also played a key role in his political rise.

The event has also received support from members of his administration.

The United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the tournament while announcing a partnership with UFC president Dana White aimed at promoting mixed martial arts around the world.

"That's what Sunday is about, it's a gift to the American people," Rubio said on Thursday, June 11, adding that "probably a billion people all over the world" would watch.

One thing is certain: this won't look like any other event in the White House's more than 200-year history.

About 4,000 people are expected to watch from inside the arena, with Dana White saying that more than half of those tickets will go to members of the US military. Another 125,000 spectators are expected to follow the action on giant screens set up on the Ellipse, the large green space just outside the White House.

'Gladiators'

Journalists were given a tour of the arena on Thursday, and the numbers are staggering.

"The Claw" weighs 600 tons (544 metric tons), stretches 154 feet (47 metres) across, and stands 92 feet tall, making it taller than the White House itself.

It's a striking contrast for a location known for historic moments. The same South Lawn once hosted President Bill Clinton during the signing of the 1993 Oslo peace accords and served as the backdrop for Richard Nixon's final farewell.

But then again, Trump has never been a conventional president.

Long before politics, he built his reputation as a property mogul and reality TV personality. And according to Peter Loge, director of George Washington University's School of Media, this event fits perfectly into that image.

"Donald Trump has built a public persona throughout his life by being the Donald Trump show," Loge told AFP.

"It's loud, it's glitzy, it's glossy, that's what this is."

Loge believes the display of strength and spectacle reflects a governing style that resonates with Trump's supporters, especially during a period marked by war and economic uncertainty.

"It's gladiators," he said. "In a time of chaos in the US, it is to say that the US is strength, it is force, and it is in control. There's fireworks, and two guys beating each other up."

Not everyone is buying into the excitement.

Ahead of the event, the Trump administration faced a lawsuit seeking to stop the tournament from taking place. The suit argued that using public land in this way could improperly benefit people close to the president.

The White House rejected those claims in court filings.

Officials also pushed back against another unusual suggestion, one made by Trump himself, that the arena could remain standing permanently, similar to how France kept the Eiffel Tower after the 1889 World's Fair.

That won't be happening.

"The Claw will be disassembled immediately after the event concludes," said Joshua Fisher, Director for White House Management and Administration, in court documents.

Trump sparks outrage after resharing ‘Strait of Trump’ map for Strait of Hormuz

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United States President Donald Trump had triggered fresh controversy after resharing a Truth Social post proposing that the Strait of Hormuz be renamed the “Strait of Trump,” a move widely seen as provocative amid mounting geopolitical tensions.

The post featured a map of the strategically critical waterway relabeled with the suggested name, drawing swift global attention because of the Strait’s central role in global energy security.