Judge rules on if UFC White House event can go ahead following lawsuit

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UFC Freedom 250 has been given the green light to take place on the White House South Lawn after a federal judge rejected a legal bid to stop the event.

Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the June 14 event can proceed, despite a lawsuit that questioned how the approvals for the card were granted.

The case was brought by the Public Integrity Project, which targeted decisions made by the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service.

White House responds after judge rejects UFC lawsuit​

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Mehta denied a request for a preliminary injunction that would have halted the fight card, construction of the temporary arena and a pre-fight press conference at the Lincoln Memorial.

White House spokesperson Davis Ingle welcomed the decision, saying: “The court rightly rejected an untimely and frivolous effort to halt the historic UFC event hosted to honour the 250th anniversary of our Nation.”

He added that the White House was grateful for the ruling and looked forward to what he described as a “once-in-a-lifetime celebration” on the South Lawn.

Why the court allowed UFC Freedom 250 to continue​

Critics had described the temporary arena, known as The Claw, as “hideous,” “grotesque” and “disgusting.”

However, Judge Mehta ruled that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated how they were directly harmed by the government’s actions.

He also noted that the alleged harms were temporary, as The Claw is scheduled to be dismantled starting at 10 a.m. on June 15, 2026.

The judge said the lawsuit was filed too late, just a week before the event. He also referenced UFC’s estimate that it will spend $700,000 restoring grass damaged on the South Lawn.

The lawsuit further argued that the event did not qualify under a temporary America 250 rule and questioned whether the Lincoln Memorial was an appropriate venue for the press conference.

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