Washington — A federal lawsuit filed Saturday seeks to shut down the Ultimate Fighting Championship fight night on the White House’s South Lawn on President Trump’s birthday.
The lawsuit, filed by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of a political activist and an Air Force veteran, calls the plans around the June 14 event “deeply corrupt” and argues that it seeks to enrich the president and his allies.
It also argues that the Trump administration’s approval of the event on national parklands violates federal law, the construction of the venue, which includes a massive arch, on the South Lawn lacks congressional authorization and did not go through an environmental review.
“The president is giving [UFC chief executive Dana] White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access,” the lawsuit says.
The weekend’s events are set to kick off Friday night at the Lincoln Memorial.
The lawsuit contends that those who stand to benefit financially from the event include the president, who has investments in UFC’s parent company, White, and the company’s broadcast partner Paramount SkyDance, which is the parent company of CBS News, and its advertisers. Paramount declined to comment.
The UFC has said that the event is part of the celebrations to mark the country’s 250th anniversary. But the lawsuit notes the date of the fight night falls on Mr. Trump’s 80th birthday, about three weeks before July 4.
“The event is neither ‘for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence’ nor, crucially, being ‘planned, organized, and executed’ by the federal government,” the lawsuit says.
It later adds, “Rather, UFC Freedom 250 is being held for the financial benefit of the UFC, Paramount, and their advertisers, and to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth.”
An administration official called the lawsuit “an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory” attempt to prevent Mr. Trump from “from hosting what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historic sporting events in our nation’s history during our semiquincentennial celebration.”
“This iconic event is no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year,” the official said.
UFC did not respond to CBS News’ request for comment.
