President Donald Trump’s UFC fight on the White House lawn will feature troops in the crowd who were begged to attend by military leaders.
The Pentagon is moving to “recruit hundreds of troops” to attend the June 14 cage-fighting event, with soldiers required to pay their own way, wear a uniform, and meet certain height and weight requirements, sources tell The Washington Post.
That report claims the Pentagon is specifically recruiting “junior enlisted personnel and junior officers.” It is unclear why lower-paid service members are being targeted, but they are typically among the youngest members of the military.
A memo viewed by the Post laid out that attending troops “MUST MEET CURRENT WAIST-HEIGHT RATIO and current physical fitness standard.” They will also be required to wear their short-sleeve dress uniforms and must be genuine UFC fans, according to the memo.
“Tickets must be distributed to genuine UFC fans, not solely to high-ranking DVs,” a message posted to a military social media page said, referring to distinguished visitors.
The Pengaton declined to comment on the recruitment effort when reached by email. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle told the Beast in a statement, “This will be one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history, and President Trump hosting it at the White House is a testament to his vision to celebrate America’s monumental 250th anniversary.”
The fight, billed as UFC Freedom 250, will be held on Flag Day, which will also be Trump’s 80th birthday. It comes exactly a year after Trump hosted a multi-million dollar military parade on his 79th birthday that was largely spoiled by rainy weather in the nation’s capital.
The Military Times reports that 4,000 spectators, including the president, are set to attend the bout. UFC CEO Dana White has said that 1,200 tickets are being reserved for active-duty troops.
White, 56, is a top Trump ally who endorsed the president in 2024. While he claims he is done getting involved in politics, he has refused to condemn Trump when pressed and has said that his company stands to lose $30 million by putting on the event at the White House.
“You can make anything political if you want to,” White told Time this week. “I love this country like anybody on the left loves this country. I love this country like anybody on the right loves this country. This is basically me spending a s---load of money to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, with America and the rest of the world.”
Some of those who have supported Trump in the past are not fans of the White House hosting a private athletic event. Many critics have called out Trump’s priorities for being out of order, as he has further defaced the White House to construct a temporary fight venue while everyday Americans cope with high gas prices amid war with Iran.
Even the UFC commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan, who also endorsed Trump in 2024, has scoffed at the event. He called the decision to host it outside “odd” and “kind of a gimmick.”
Trump, 79, started to push back against Rogan in an interview with Time—but then conceded that, yes, the event is indeed a gimmick.
“Life is a gimmick, if you think about it, right? But it’s a good gimmick,” he rambled to the magazine. “It’s something that will never happen again. Nobody will ever have the privilege of doing something like this in front of the White House. It’s going to be very unique. It’s going to be amazing. I think it’s great for America, frankly.”
Time reports that the celebrity attendees will include comedian Adam Sandler, filmmaker Guy Ritchie, retired NFL star Tom Brady, actor Jared Leto, action star Jason Statham, wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and TV host Mario Lopez.
