Trump administration urges judge to reject bid to block White House UFC event

The challengers are seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the June 14 event, citing regulations that they claim prohibit sporting events on the South Lawn and the lack of required congressional approval for the large, octagon-shaped arena being constructed. The lawsuit also alleges that the National Park Service and the Interior Department unlawfully authorized the event.

In its defense, the administration countered that existing regulations do not prohibit such events and pointed to the South Lawn's history of hosting public gatherings. The filing also suggested that the plaintiffs could simply avoid watching the event, stating, "It would be easy enough to simply avert their gazes for the weekend." The administration accused the plaintiffs of seeking to impose their "idiosyncratic preferences on the rest of the country" and ruin an event intended to celebrate the United States.

The event, dubbed “UFC Freedom 250,” is scheduled to coincide with President Trump's 80th birthday and includes bouts within a 92-foot-tall octagon structure, with weigh-ins planned at the Lincoln Memorial. President Trump has had ties to the UFC since the early 2000s, and UFC CEO Dana White is a known ally of the President.