Judge Asked to Block Trump's White House UFC Event

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has been asked to issue a temporary restraining order for the event, dubbed “UFC Freedom 250,” which is set to feature fighting inside a 92-foot-tall octagon cage, with weigh-ins at the Lincoln Memorial. The plaintiffs allege that authorization of the program by the National Park Service and Interior Department was unlawful, stating that "This nation's public monuments should not be loaned out for private exploitation."

The lawsuit contends the event violates rules barring sporting events on the South Lawn and at the Lincoln Memorial, and that the construction of the large arena structure requires congressional authorization. The White House, in response, called the case an "obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit" and asserted that the event is comparable to other South Lawn events.