Federal Lawsuit Filed to Block UFC Freedom 250 From Happening at the White House

Six days out from UFC Freedom 250 and someone is trying to shut it down in court. The Public Integrity Project filed a federal lawsuit late Saturday in the District of Columbia on behalf of two Virginia residents, arguing that the Trump administration's authorization of the event is unlawful.

An emergency application for a preliminary injunction was filed Sunday morning.

The event is scheduled for June 14. Construction on "The Claw," the massive steel structure being built on the South Lawn, is already well underway. And now there's a legal fight happening alongside the actual fights.

Three Reasons They Want UFC Freedom 250 Stopped

The lawsuit lays out three grounds. First, it argues that hosting a private, for profit sporting event on White House grounds violates National Park Service regulations. Second, it claims the construction of The Claw (which is reportedly taller than the White House itself) was never authorized by Congress.

Third, it raises concerns about taxpayer costs. The complaint says this isn't really a celebration of America's 250th birthday. It calls the event a celebration of the UFC and of Trump's 80th birthday, which happens to fall on June 14.

"This is a profoundly corrupt scheme to enrich the President and his friends," said Brendan Ballou, the Public Integrity Project founder and former DOJ prosecutor. "If this fight is allowed to proceed, it will be only the beginning, and our national monuments will become little more than branding opportunities for the rich and well connected."

Lawsuit to Halt UFC Freedom 250 Gets Specific

The filing goes into some wild details. VIP tickets for the event reportedly cost over $1 million. Trump bought up to $50,000 in TKO stock (the UFC's parent company) earlier this year. Paramount, which is streaming the event on Paramount+, is run by Larry and David Ellison who are allies of the President. Fighters are supposed to walk out from the Oval Office. Weigh-ins are at the Lincoln Memorial.

Then there's The Claw itself. Trump recently compared it to the Eiffel Tower and said "maybe we'll never take it down." That comment is actually cited in the lawsuit as evidence that the structure could become permanent, which would require congressional authorization that was never obtained.

The two plaintiffs are bipartisan. Joseph Romano is a Republican and Vietnam War veteran. David Douglas is a Democrat. Both are Virginia residents.

White House Fires Back on UFC Freedom 250 Suit

A Trump administration official responded to the lawsuit and didn't hold back. "This is an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit brought simply to prevent President Trump from hosting what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historic sporting events in our Nation's history during our semiquincentennial celebration," the statement read.

The UFC, Department of Interior, National Park Service, and Department of Justice all declined to comment to ESPN.

Will This Actually Stop the Event?

Realistically? Probably not. The event is only six days away.

Construction is already happening and fighters are in camp. Topuria vs Gaethje and Pereira vs Gane are locked in. Getting an emergency injunction to halt a presidential event in six days would be unprecedented, but the lawsuit adds another layer of chaos to an event that's had no shortage of it.

 Strickland got banned from attending, Tom Aspinall wasn't invited, Joe Rogan called it a gimmick. Now there's an actual court case trying to prevent it from happening.

Whatever your opinion on the politics, the UFC has never dealt with anything like this before, and no promotion has. A federal lawsuit trying to stop a fight card six days before the event? That's new territory for everyone involved.

"We plan to stop that," Ballou said.