Trump marks 80th birthday with patriotic UFC Freedom 250 spectacle on White House South Lawn

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump marked his 80th day Sunday nighttime with a solemnisation connected the South Lawn, wherever 14 fighters from astir the satellite battered 1 different wrong a wire-mesh cage during the UFC Freedom 250 spectacle.

Trump walked retired of the Oval Office astatine astir 8:30 p.m. ET alongside UFC CEO and president Dana White successful what was champion described arsenic a fighter’s walkout. 

President Donald Trump and Dana White, UFC president and CEO, get for UFC Freedom 250 connected the South Lawn of the White House successful Washington connected June 14, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP)

The estimated 4,300 successful attendance, which included astir 1,200 active-duty work members, greeted the president with large cheers arsenic the occasional "Happy Birthday" was shouted from the crowd. 

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The lawsuit kicked disconnected with the Marine Band’s show of the nationalist anthem, sung by Zac Brown, and was capped disconnected with a flyover by the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds.

"It was beyond thing that anybody's ever seen successful sports," the president concisely remarked to reporters arsenic helium departed the White House up of Monday’s G7 acme successful France. 

President Donald Trump watches astatine the decision of UFC Freedom 250 connected the South Lawn of the White House successful Washington connected June 15, 2026. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)

As expected, the assemblage often broke retired into "U-S-A!" chants aggregate times passim the evening. It was astir often heard during American Justin Gaethje’s thrilling main-card triumph implicit the antecedently undefeated Ilia Topuria.

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Many of the fighters thanked Trump for having the "courage" to enactment connected the spectacle, portion the bulk of victors jogged ringside to shingle his manus oregon person a connection aft their respective bouts. The patriotic ambiance acceptable the code for the remaining America 250 celebrations to travel successful Washington, D.C., aboriginal this summer.

The $60 cardinal lawsuit was conscionable the latest spectacle successful Trump’s narration with White.

President Donald Trump congratulates Ciryl Gane aft his triumph successful a heavyweight interim rubric bout against Alex Pereira astatine UFC Freedom 250 connected the South Lawn of the White House successful Washington connected June 15, 2026. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

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White has a long-standing narration with the president, dating backmost to the archetypal UFC lawsuit nether his power which was held successful 2001 astatine Trump’s Taj Mahal casino successful Atlantic City, New Jersey. He has stumped connected the run way for Trump connected 2 occasions portion Trump has attended 4 UFC fights arsenic a sitting president. 

Sunday’s combat wrapped conscionable aft 1 a.m. and featured 2 title bouts  – Ciryl Gane of France earned the interim UFC heavyweight rubric aft a triumph implicit Brazil’s Alex Pereira, and lightweight champion Ilia Topuria fell to interim champ Justin Gaethje successful 4 rounds.

President Donald Trump stands connected the ringing with Justin Gaethje aft helium won the lightweight title bout implicit Ilia Toupruia astatine UFC Freedom 250 connected the South Lawn of the White House successful Washington connected June 15, 2026. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

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• Justin Gaethje def. Ilia Topuria via stoppage earlier Round 5
• Ciryl Gane def. Alex Pereira via TKO, Round 2
• Sean O’Malley def. Aiemann Zahabi via KO, Round 2
• Josh Hokit def. Derrick Lewis via TKO, Round 2
• Mauricio Ruffy def. Michael Chandler via KO/TKO, Round 1
• Bo Nickal def. Kyle Daukaus via KO/TKO, Round 1
• Diego Lopes def. Steve Garcia via KO/TKO, Round 2

UFC Freedom 250 takes spot connected the South Lawn of the White House successful Washington connected Mon. June 15, 2026. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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