Donald Trump’s administration says the lawsuit aiming to block UFC Freedom 250 has come far too late to disrupt Sunday’s event at the White House.
The fight card is set for June 14 on the South Lawn, tying into America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, Flag Day, and Trump’s 80th birthday.
With the temporary arena, known as “The Claw,” already constructed or nearly finished, the Justice Department has told the court that halting the event now would be unfair and highly disruptive.
Donald Trump’s administration says the UFC lawsuit is too late
According to CNN, government lawyers told U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta that the legal challenge came after months of planning, labor, and spending.
“No one is holding plaintiffs in a jiu-jitsu lock, forcing them to watch UFC Freedom 250 against their will. The public interest does not favor allowing them to exercise a heckler’s veto, particularly at this late date,” the government attorneys wrote in a court filing.
The Justice Department also argued that a delay could put the 14 fighters at risk, as extended weight cuts can carry serious health dangers.
Donald Trump’s UFC event faces an emergency challenge
The lawsuit was filed by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of Virginia residents Paul Romano, a Vietnam veteran, and Susan Douglas, a civic activist.
They claim officials improperly approved a private, for-profit UFC event on federal land without environmental review and without the required congressional approval for new structures.
The complaint also argues the event is less about the America 250 celebration and more about the UFC brand and Trump’s birthday, noting his reported $50,000 investment in TKO Group Holdings, UFC’s parent company, as evidence of a conflict of interest.
Donald Trump’s White House card should take place on Sunday
An emergency order is still possible, but time is running short. As of CNN’s report, Mehta had not scheduled a hearing, and the plaintiffs requested a decision by Thursday, just days before the fights are due to take place.
The UFC card is set to feature Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje, Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane, Sean O’Malley vs Aiemann Zahabi, Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit, Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus, and Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia.
Trump has billed the event as “the greatest show on Earth,” while critics call it a private spectacle staged on public property. Unless Mehta steps in at the last minute, UFC Freedom 250 looks set to go ahead.
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