Social media erupted Thursday night after President Donald Trump proposed a bold and wildly unconventional idea to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary: hosting a full-scale UFC championship fight on the White House lawn.
Speaking at a rally in Des Moines to mark the passage of his sweeping new spending bill, Trump outlined a vision for a nationwide celebration in 2026, filled with patriotic events at national parks and historic sites. But it was his unexpected twist — a high-octane mixed martial arts bout in the backyard of the executive mansion — that captured the internet’s attention.
“We’re going to have a UFC fight. Think of this – on the grounds of the White House,” Trump told an enthusiastic crowd. “We have a lot of land there. We’re going to build a little – we’re not, Dana’s going to do it,” he said, referencing UFC President Dana White. “We’re going to have a UFC fight, a championship fight, full fight – like 20,000, 25,000 people. And we’re going to do that as part of 250.”
Online reaction was immediate and divided. “UFC fights on the White House lawn really feels like one of those 2015 Onion stories about a potential Trump Presidency,” wrote Pennsylvania Capital-Star correspondent Nick Field on X (formerly Twitter).
“Uhhh, Trump just said there’s gonna be a UFC fight from the White House grounds?” posted Wired senior writer Jake Lahut on Bluesky, clearly in disbelief.
Others weighed in with satire and surprise. “Just how George Washington drew it up in his head,” joked hedge fund manager Spencer Hakimian on X.
Some saw the proposal as pure spectacle, but not entirely impossible. “Would be absolutely wild if he and Dana White pulled this off,” commented One America News Network chief White House correspondent Daniel Baldwin on social media.
While critics and commentators raised eyebrows at the audacity of the plan, Trump’s loyal base responded with enthusiasm. “Let’s go!” posted pro-MAGA user @JayTC53America. “America is so back!”
The idea, while not officially confirmed or planned, reflects Trump’s ongoing flair for spectacle and his close relationship with UFC leadership. Dana White has long supported Trump publicly, even speaking on his behalf at political events.
Whether the White House lawn will become the site of a championship octagon remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the idea has already sparked a fierce online fight of its own.