Trump’s 80th birthday to feature UFC event at the White House

US President Donald Trump announced that a previously planned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event at the White House will take place on June 14 next year, coinciding with his 80th birthday.

He made the announcement during a speech at Naval Station Norfolk in honor of the US Navy’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

Trump had initially revealed in July that a UFC event would be held at the White House in 2026 but did not specify a date at the time.

The president counts UFC President Dana White as a close friend and has long considered fans of the sport part of his political base, with ties that predate his presidency.

This week, Dana White told the Sports Business Journal that the UFC will spend $700,000 to replace the South Lawn grass at the White House following the event.

Since becoming president, Trump has been a regular attendee at UFC fights, most recently attending one in New Jersey in June.

But the relationship between Trump and White goes back to 2000, when the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City was one of the few US venues willing to host UFC events at the time.

TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.