By ALEX RASKIN, US SPORTS NEWS EDITOR and ISABEL BALDWIN, US ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR and ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday bash at UFC Freedom 25 ended inside the octagon on the White House’s South Lawn, where the newest octogenarian and his family congratulated Justin Gaethje for his stoppage victory over Ilia Topuria in the co-main event.
Only moments earlier, the exuberant American fighter did a backflip of the cage before shaking hands with the President, who had put on a white ‘USA’ hat by the evening’s final event.
Although the event was named in honor of the country’s upcoming 250th birthday, Sunday was also aimed at celebrating Trump as he entered his ninth decade. So, while much of the night was spent honoring service members and raising money for veteran’s charities, there were also helpings of praise and gifts heaped upon the President.
Wearing an American flag bandana, undefeated heavyweight Josh Hokit exited the octagon to present the President with a glimmering necklace just moments after knocking out Derrick Lewis. The gracious Trump promptly put the Mr. T-style chain around his neck amid cheers from the 4,000 attendees on the White House’s South Lawn.
As for the other main event, Ciryl Gane hammered Alex Pereira with a series of elbows and fists to the head and won via TKO in 1:27 of the second round to claim the interim belt and set up a rematch with heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall. And like the bulk of the fighters who had their hands raised in victory, Gane thanked Trump.
The White House’s South Lawn was never an obvious choice for a UFC event, but at Trump’s insistence, promoter Dana White acquiesced. And although many liberal critics of the President complained about the optics of cage fighting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, MMA fans and the MAGA faithful were quick to declare the night an unqualified success.
🚨TRENDING: Justin Gaethje shaking hands with Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/8vv5MrVi7z
— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) June 15, 2026
Trump, Melania, Dana White and others crowd into the octagon after UFC Freedom 250
President Donald Trump stands on the ring with Justin Gaethje after he won the title over Ilia Toupruia in the lightweight championship bout at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn
Melania Trump is pictured alongside Donald on his 80th birthday at UFC Freedom 250
Kai Trump (left) is pictured with uncle, Barron as he talks with the President in front of Swedish soccer great Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who took a pass on watching his country’s World Cup game
Fireworks are seen over the White House following UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn
Fans react as they watch Ilia Topuria fight Justin Gaethje from the Ellipse in Washington
The night began with a chorus of trumpets as Trump sauntered in from the White House alongside White before the Zak Brown Band’s rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. A 12-jet flyover followed as AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’ blared over loudspeakers – a somewhat ironic decision as the event was delayed by thunderstorm forecasts in the area.
But the weather couldn’t stop Trump’s inner circle from gathering cageside.
First Lady Melania Trump was escorted to her seat by a uniformed servicemember and she was later joined by 20-year-old son Barron in a rare public appearance for the President’s youngest child.
Many top officials made grand entrances, including secretaries Scott Bessent (Treasury), Pete Hegseth (Defense) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Health and Human Services) and Howard Lutnick (Commerce), House Speaker Mike Johnson and FBI director Kash Patel, who brought his country singer girlfriend Alexis Wilkins.
Vice President JD Vance was also spotted in the crowd, while homeland security advisor Stephen Miller was joined by his wife, Katie, just 11 days after she gave birth to the couple’s fourth child.
Other Trump supporters in attendance included billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, NHL stars Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe and influencer Logan Paul, as well as a number of high-ranking UFC champions.
And as is usually the case whenever Trump attends UFC events, there was plenty of family on hand, including daughter Ivanka, her brothers Donald Jr. and Eric, as well as their wives, Bettina and Lara, and granddaughter Kai.
Josh Hokit gifts @POTUS his chain 🤣🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/506ZwmKavg
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) June 15, 2026
Donald Trump got his his long-awaited birthday wish on Sunday with UFC Freedom 250, where the President was gifted a gold chain by victorious fighter Josh Hokit
Ciryl Gane of France looks to strike Alex Pereira of Brazil in the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship bout during UFC Freedom 250 at the White House
The Claw, as it is known, offers a support system for the UFC’s many lighting fixtures
A 12-jet flyover is seen over the White House prior to UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday night
Donald Trump Jr. and his new wife, Bettina Anderson, are pictured at UFC Freedom 250
Ivanka Trump is pictured with UFC CBO Hunter Campbell at the White House on Sunday
British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury wore a ‘Trump for Prime Minister’ hat on Sunday
There were also some surprise guests as well, including Poland’s right-wing President Karol Nawrocki and British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury, who was wearing a ‘Trump for Prime Minister’ hat.
‘It’s been a long time, but boy oh boy am I happy to be here for this historic event. Freedom, at the White House, and it’s Donald Trump’s birthday,’ Fury told Paramount+ announcer Jon Anik.
Hundreds of uniformed servicemembers from various branches of the armed forces could be seen during the Paramount+ broadcast, which was used to promote a number of charities benefitting veterans and 9/11 heroes.
Military members chanted ‘USA’ as American Bo Nickal beat countryman Kyle Daukaus while a smiling Trump applauded cageside.
‘I gotta thank President Trump for making this happen,’ Nickal said in his post-fight interview, adding that Trump is a ‘special person’ to ‘have the balls to do something like this.’
Nickal then posed on stage as the Marine Corps band played YMCA, the Village People anthem that has been adopted by Trump supporters.
Sean O’Malley is interviewed by Joe Rogan following his win on Sunday at the White House
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg congratulates Bo Nickal, after he won against Kyle Daukaus
Dana White walks alongside Donald Trump from the White House to the South Lawn
Trump sits quietly on is 80th birthday as fans await another fight at UFC Freedom 250
Baron Trump, 20, gazes at his father while seated behind his mother at UFC Freedom 250
Meta Founder greets Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at UFC Freedom 250
Melania Trump arrives at UFC Freedom 250. Her husband was escorted in by Dana White
UFC’s ring girls, who normally parade around the cage in skimpy outfits, were covered up for a more PG-rated fight night. The women were lavishly dressed in more full-body outfits
Trump is pictured saluting the crowd on the White House South Lawn during he flyover
Thousands of fight fans and many protestors descended on Washington, where officials ultimately gave their green light to proceed despite reports of lightning and thunder in the area.
The White House was particularly sensitive about the subject of a weather delay. Earlier on Sunday, when the Weather Channel reported ‘Rain, 30mph winds and mosquitos on the White House lawn,’ a furious administration spokesperson shot back on X.
‘This event is about celebrating America’s unmatched greatness after 250 years — which apparently doesn’t sit well with the friendless loser who wrote this bulls*** clickbait headline,’ read the post from the White House’s @RapidResponse47 account.
Fortunately for attendees, not to mention the tens of thousands on the Ellipse for the watch party, the threatening storms held off, allowing the fight card to get underway shortly after the original scheduled 8pm start.
The UFC boasted of spending $60 million on UFC Freedom 250, which wasn’t expected to turn a profit due to the tickets awarded to servicemembers and the free watch party at the Ellipse abutting the White House’s South Lawn.
Meanwhile, Washington DC spent an estimated $10 million to $12 million on security for the event. A city spokesperson told ESPN that the city does not expect to be reimbursed by the UFC.
Diego Lopes of Brazil strikes Steve Garcia in a middleweight fight during the UFC Freedom 250
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and his wife Katie arrive at the White House
Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia opened UFC Freedom 250 in a featherweight bout under the structure known as the Claw, a four-sided mass that arcs more than 90 feet (27 meters) into the air and features lights, speakers, thick snakes of wiring and four large screens so fans not seated right next to the Octagon can follow the cage fighting below.
Garcia walked out of the White House draped in an American flag and accompanied by two police officers. Lopes walked out to the Mexican song ‘La Chona.’
Fans were as quiet for the start of the main card Sunday as they might be for the preliminary fights held hours before a pay-per-view event in a normal fight arena, such as Madison Square Garden. Closer to the Rose Garden, fans did come alive when Lopes landed a flurry of punches to knock out Garcia in the second round.
The show has been steeped in pageantry and stands as an outlier among UFC events. Meanwhile, UFC’s ring girls, who normally parade around the cage in skimpy outfits, were covered up for a more PG-rated fight night. The women were stylishly dressed in more full-body outfits, some that flowed past the knee or to the ground, that incorporated the American flag into the designs.
Sunday’s event became even more memorable after Brazilian Mauricio Ruffy beat American Michale Chandler in the third bout. Through a translator, Ruffy directed a marriage proposal towards his girlfriend watching in the crowd, prompting her to respond with a thumbs up gesture.
Wearing a full suit and tie despite the heat and humidity, Trump spent most of his time sitting stoned-faced, watching the action through wire-mesh cage. During another break in Sunday’s action, Zuckerberg approached Trump and spoke with him for several minutes.
Later, Sean O’Malley celebrated his walk-off KO win with a salute.
‘That was sexy,’ O’Malley said to cheers. ‘I felt the energy in here. I truly felt the energy in here.’
Diego Lopes reacts to his win over Steve Garcia by pointing to the White House crowd
Much of the interest around the event has centered on the outdoor setup – something White has traditionally resisted due to concerns about weather and bugs.
Eric shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the distinct setting for Sunday night’s fight festivities.
From the roof of the White House, the 42-year-old showed aerial view of the newly constructed arena underneath ‘The Claw.’
To the side, cranes loomed over the White House as part of the construction for the new East Wing ballroom.
Meanwhile, outside the White House, angry protestors targeted Trump over his immigration policy, allegations of corruption, and the war with Iran, which the President once again claimed to have ended earlier Sunday.
‘Congratulations to all!’ he wrote on social media, without providing details about the deal to open the Strait of Hormuz. He added, ‘Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!’
The MMA fighter snuck into the Fan Fest after previously claiming he had been banned
The protestors weren’t the only unwelcome guests on Sunday
MMA fighter Sean Strickland was escorted out of a UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest by police after his mocking comments about Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.
Strickland claimed earlier this month that he had been banned over his comments about Trump’s connections to the convicted sex offender and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
However, the former UFC champion defied that ban on Sunday when he attended the Fan Fest at the nearby Ellipse in Washington DC.
His shock appearance received a frosty reception from the MAGA-loyal MMA fans in attendance who stormed towards the ring where he stood, immediately jeering and booing.
Strickland was then kicked out of the event, escorted away by officers to chants of ‘USA’ from the crowd.
Strickland was wearing a black anorak jacket and was mysteriously barefoot as he was led away by officers. It wasn’t immediately clear why law enforcement apprehended him.
White has rejected Strickland’s accusation that he was banned from UFC Freedom 250 events.
‘Nobody is banned. Nothing is banned,’ White told reporters earlier this month.
Law enforcement swiftly moved into action, detaining Strickland and kicking him out
People take part in a protest organized by Refuse Fascism against the Trump administration ahead of the UFC Freedom 250 event. Citizens called for Trump’s removal from office
Gathering clouds loom over the Ellipse, National Mall and White House in Washington DC
People are seen on the roof of the White House prior to the UFC Freedom 250 fights taking place on the South Lawn. Meanwhile, fans wish a happy 80th to their ‘dearest leader’
Ryan McKenna and Ben Owens stand at the UFC Fan Fest on the Ellipse
President Donald Trump and UFC promoter Dana White exit the White House for the show
The Tkachuk brothers, Brady (left) and Matthew (right), take part in fan fest on Sunday
Fans line up as the gates open for the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest at The Ellipse on June 14
The weather for Sunday’s event remains a potential threat, not that the White House cares
FBI Director Kash Patel and Country Music Artist Alexis Wilkins arrive at the White House
Fighter bonuses for the event are to be paid in part by Trump’s stablecoin despite an ongoing probe into the cryptocurrency’s ties to the United Arab Emirates.
World Liberty Financial, which the Trump family launched in 2024, will pay $250,000 in USD1 stablecoin bonuses to Sunday’s fighters, much to the dismay of the President’s critics.
‘We have never seen corruption this blatant and out in the open,’ one UFC fan complained on X. ‘They do not care.’
Days before the inauguration, the Trump family sold nearly half of its World Liberty Financial crypto business to a UAE government-linked company run by a member of the UAE royal family for $500 million.
A second UAE entity, a government fund, invested in the offshore cryptocurrency exchange Binance using $2 billion worth of a digital currency called a stablecoin issued by World Liberty. That allowed the Trump company that received the dollars to put it in safe investments such as bonds or money market funds and keep the tens of millions of dollars in interest for itself.
An AI-generated image of Donald Trump kissing Russian President Vladimir Putin is raised
The UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest on The Ellipse and the UFC Freedom 250 fight on the South Lawn of the White House are seen from the top of the Washington Monument
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 14, 2026
There is a heavy police presence at UFC Freedom 250 in Washington DC
With clouds gathering in the background, fans eagerly await Sunday’s UFC fight card
Fans wait for Sunday’s fight card to get underway on the Ellipse near the White House
The bout represented another in the long history between White and Trump, who began hosting the MMA promotion’s events at the since-shuttered Trump Taj Mahal back in 2001.
Since then, White has introduced Trump at three separate Republican National Conventions and was even present at the recent White House Correspondents’ Association dinner that was interrupted by an attempted assassin.
Many UFC fighters have professed their love and admiration for Trump, including Jon Jones, Colby Covington, Conor McGregor and Gaethje.
Trump sought to tie Sunday’s event to larger, monthslong celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
But it is much more geared toward feting himself, so much so that the G7 summit for leaders of industrialized nations pushed back their get-together so that the President could attend his cage-match party and then fly to Europe for the meetings.
The weekend hasn’t been all smiles for Trump, meanwhile. Crews pried the his name off the Kennedy Center about a mile from Trump’s birthday bash after a judge ruled naming it after Trump had gone too far.
It’s certainly a departure from President Joe Biden’s 80th birthday in 2022, when he celebrated with a private family brunch at the White House, laying bare just how much and how quickly things have changed.
Asked about the contrast, White House spokesperson Allison Schuster said that the fight event ‘will be one of the most entertaining nights in American history’ and said that the timing was appropriate.
Trump protestors call for the President’s removal from office on Sunday in Washington
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy arrives at the White House for UFC Freedom 250
Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki arrives at the White House ahead of the UFC Freedom 250
A fan poses for a picture in an octagon set up during the UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest
‘Having this spectacle take place at the people’s house on Flag Day during our nations’ semiquincentennial anniversary is a fitting tribute,’ Schuster said in a statement.
Trump has now supplanted Biden as the oldest person to be elected US president.
He’s constitutionally barred from running again, yet constantly toys with the notion publicly. That’s despite polls showing rising public skepticism about Trump’s mental and physical health – recalling concerns Biden faced as he turned 80.
A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted in April found that less than half of US adults think Trump has the mental sharpness or physical health to serve effectively as president.
The White House countered with a lengthy statement from Trump’s former White House physician, Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, saying Trump’s ‘stamina, focus, and strength are exceptional and on display every day. Claims to the contrary are pure fiction.’ Jackson added that polling concerns were ‘being propagated by the same biased, liberal, Trump-hating press that completely ignored the absolute cognitive and physical disaster that was President Biden.’
House speaker and Trump ally Mike Johnson has arrived at UFC Freedom 250
A satellite image shows the White House and The Ellipse after the construction of the setup
The UFC is an apt metaphor for Trump’s pugilistic political style. He is as big a fan of cage-match-style politics as he is of cage-fighting itself.
But Trump has also long been a master of political misdirection, purposely presenting people with something other than his presidency to focus on when things aren’t going well.
With the war in Iran grinding on before Sunday’s announcement – even during weeks of assurances from Trump that its end is nigh – gas prices skyrocketed. Renewed concerns about inflation and plummeting job approval ratings for Trump helped ensure that a White House birthday party unlike anything America has ever seen can certainly qualify as a diversion.
‘This is all distraction,’ said Mike Fontaine, a classics professor at Cornell University, who likened it to the gladiatorial games of Imperial Rome, when combatants brutalized each other for public entertainment meant to bolster rulers’ popularity and quell potential unrest.
‘This is a classic strategy,’ Fontaine said. ‘In ancient Rome, the phrase would be, `bread and circuses.’
Original source: https://www.dailymail.com/sport/mma/article-15899411/White-House-UFC-Freedom-250-Trump-birthday.html