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orywireA federal lawsuit asks a Washington, D.C., court to stop UFC Freedom 250, the June 14 fight card planned for the White House South Lawn. The plaintiffs argue the event violates federal park rules and lacks required approvals, while the administration says the challenge is baseless.
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A federal lawsuit is trying to stop UFC Freedom 250, a June 14 fight card planned for the White House South Lawn on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. The lawsuit has not, by itself, canceled the event; the plaintiffs are asking a federal judge in Washington, D.C., for emergency relief before the card takes place.
The case turns on whether the administration lawfully authorized a private sporting event on federal parkland tied to the White House and nearby national memorial areas. It also challenges a large temporary structure being built for the event and argues the project should not proceed without additional legal and environmental review.
The complaint was filed June 6 in U.S. District Court in Washington by Susan Douglas of Alexandria, Virginia, and Paul Romano of Arlington, Virginia. The defendants include the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, meaning they want the court to declare the authorization unlawful and block the event before it happens. Because the event is scheduled for June 14, the emergency request is the central issue for readers watching whether the fight card will proceed as planned.
As of Monday morning, there was no confirmed court order stopping the event. National Park Service notices tied to UFC Freedom 250 remained posted, and the lawsuit was still a challenge to the event rather than a ruling against it.
The complaint targets several pieces of the planned event, including the UFC cage fights on the South Lawn, ceremonial activities at the Lincoln Memorial and pre-fight walkouts that the complaint says are planned from the Oval Office.
The plaintiffs also challenge a temporary structure described in the complaint as “The Claw,” which they say is a 92-foot-tall, 600-ton steel structure under construction near the Executive Residence. They allege the structure lacks congressional authorization and did not go through required environmental review.
Those claims are allegations. A judge has not ruled that the administration, the National Park Service or UFC violated the law.
The lawsuit points to National Park Service rules for the National Capital Region that define special events to include sports events. The complaint argues that ordinary rules do not allow this type of sporting event on the South Lawn or at the Lincoln Memorial.
A second issue is a temporary rule created for America250 events, the federal commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The plaintiffs argue UFC Freedom 250 does not qualify for that exemption because, in their view, it is not planned, organized and executed by federal agencies or the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission.
The complaint also raises environmental and construction claims. It argues that the South Lawn structure required a more public approval process and environmental analysis before construction.
Those are the legal questions the court would have to weigh if it considers the emergency request. The lawsuit is not about whether UFC can stage the fight card generally; it is about whether this event can lawfully be staged on and around White House-related federal parkland.
An administration official, quoted by the Associated Press and CBS News, called the lawsuit “obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory.” The official said the event is not different in kind from other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn or permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall.
That response signals the administration is expected to fight the challenge. It does not resolve the legal dispute; only the court can decide whether to grant emergency relief.
UFC had not immediately responded to requests for comment from the Associated Press and CBS News in the reports reviewed Monday morning.
National Park Service notices show temporary closures in and around President’s Park tied to UFC Freedom 250 from May 20 through June 28 for setup, event operations and teardown.
The NPS Record of Determination lists closures affecting the Ellipse and side panels, nearby roads, portions of Lafayette Park, the White House sidewalk and other areas around the White House complex. It also notes additional closures around June 12 through June 15 at the request of the U.S. Secret Service.
For visitors, the practical point is that access around parts of the White House area may be restricted even before the June 14 fight card. For the lawsuit, the closures matter because they show the event is already affecting public use of federal park areas.
The National Park Service said in its determination that the temporary partial closures would not significantly alter public use patterns and would not adversely affect natural, aesthetic or cultural values. The plaintiffs dispute the legality of the underlying authorization and say the event should not be allowed to proceed.
The court could grant emergency relief and temporarily block the event, deny the request and allow preparations to continue, or set expedited briefing or a hearing before ruling.
If the court blocks the event, the administration and UFC could be forced to pause, relocate, revise or cancel parts of the June 14 plan. If the court denies emergency relief, the fight card could proceed while the broader lawsuit continues.
The most important update to watch is a court order on the emergency request. Readers should also watch for revised National Park Service closure notices, a formal response from the defendants, and any new statement from the White House or UFC about the event’s status.
Until a judge rules or organizers announce a change, the lawsuit should be read as an active legal challenge - not as confirmation that the White House UFC card has been canceled.
