Judge clears way for Trump’s White House UFC event

A planned UFC fight at the White House will go ahead this weekend after a federal judge declined to stop the privately organised event.

US District Judge Amit P. Mehta rejected an emergency request by two Virginia residents who wanted the court to block the event from taking place on the White House South Lawn.

The judge ruled on Friday that the two plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the challenge.

That meant the court did not decide whether the event itself was lawful.

The case had questioned whether the UFC event could legally be staged on the White House grounds and connected areas, including the Lincoln Memorial, where related activities were expected to take place before the main fight.

The plaintiffs, a political activist and a Vietnam War veteran, argued that officials were wrongly relying on an exemption linked to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

They said the fight was not truly part of the country’s independence anniversary activities.

Instead, they claimed it was being organised largely as a private event and would coincide with President Donald Trump’s birthday on Sunday.

Their lawyers argued that because of this, the organisers should have gone through the usual permitting process, including environmental review requirements.

They also argued that the event was being handled mainly by private entities rather than planned and executed by the federal government.

The Trump administration opposed the request and warned that stopping the event at the last minute would cause major disruption.

Judge Mehta noted that halting the programme would affect several people and groups, including Trump, the fighters and thousands of expected spectators.

He also pointed to the cost already incurred by the UFC and its affiliates.

According to court filings, the UFC and related organisations have spent more than $60 million preparing for the event.

The judge said that potential financial loss could not be ignored, even though his ruling ultimately turned on the plaintiffs’ lack of standing.

Government filings said the UFC was responsible for production, labour, construction and promotion expenses.

The federal government, according to a sworn declaration filed in the case, is providing emergency and support services such as medical assistance, law enforcement and security.

The filings also referred to food arrangements for about 4,000 guests on the South Lawn and more than 120,000 people expected around the Ellipse.

It remains unclear how much the federal support services will cost taxpayers.

Justice Department lawyers denied that the administration was bypassing federal rules.

They also rejected the argument that Congress had to approve temporary structures on the White House grounds.

The administration said temporary installations are routinely used for White House events and argued that requiring congressional approval for each one would be unreasonable.

Workers are expected to begin dismantling the event structure from Monday.