Will UFC Freedom 250 be canceled? When to expect ruling on White House event lawsuit
A Vietnam War veteran and a civic activist filed suit on Saturday in an attempt to block “UFC Freedom 250” from going ahead on June 14.
UFC Freedom 250 is one of the more unusual sports events on this summer’s program - unusual in the sense that this particular fight night, headlined by two championship bouts, will be held in front of the White House on the South Lawn.
The action will be taking place in a giant, temporary structure, dubbed “The Claw” in front of a crowd of over 4,000 invited guests from high profile Hollywood A-listers to active US servicemen and women. And of course, president Donald Trump - a self-confessed UFC aficionado, who will be celebrating his 80th birthday.
Two epic fights. One legacy defining event.@TopuriaIlia vs @Justin_Gaethje@AlexPereiraUFC vs @Ciryl_Gane
— UFC (@ufc) June 8, 2026
[ #UFCWhiteHouse | SUNDAY JUNE 14 | LIVE at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus | Title fights presented by @CryptoCom ] pic.twitter.com/wZ0SnHpLsB
Lawsuit filed
But not everyone is happy about UFC Freedom 250. Just one week before the event is due to take place, a lawsuit was filed in a last ditch attempt to block it from going ahead.
On Saturday, Paul Romano, a Vietnam War veteran, and Susan Douglas, a civic activist and organizer, asked the federal district court for the District of Columbia to issue an emergency order blocking UFC Freedom 250. The plaintiffs claim that using the White House South Lawn and Lincoln Memorial - both public spaces, for a private, profitable sports event violates federal law.
The lawsuit adds that both Trump and UFC CEO Dana White also stand to profit financially from UFC Freedom 250 - despite it being an invitation-only event. They argue that national monuments should not be used as branding opportunities for the rich and well-connected.
“I served in Vietnam. I’ve been to the Wall and seen the names of my childhood friends who stood the watch and gave their all,” Romano explained. “The Lincoln Memorial is sacred ground - it honors everyone who has ever worn this country’s uniform. Using it as a backdrop for a for-profit cage fight so the President and his friends can make money is a desecration.”
Douglas concurred: “The President arranged to hand two of America’s most cherished monuments to a private corporation so he and his allies could profit from them. That is corruption. These monuments belong to all of us Americans, not to Dana White, not to advertisers like Crypto.com, and not to Donald Trump”.
The wait is over.
— UFC (@ufc) June 8, 2026
It's FINALLY #UFCWhiteHouse Fight Week‼️
[ SUN JUNE 14 | LIVE at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus
| Title fights presented by @CryptoCom ] pic.twitter.com/yZWXogauAp
The complaint highlighted three violations:
- The White House South Lawn and Lincoln Memorial are federal parklands administered by the National Park Service, where sports events are flatly prohibited under longstanding regulations.
- Construction of the temporary arena, “The Claw” which started on May 26, is unlawful. Under 40 U.S.C. § 8106, no structure may be erected on federal parklands in the District of Columbia without express congressional authorization.
- Then there is the clean-up costs - which will be footed by the taxpayer. Dana White estimates that repairing the South Lawn alone will cost $700,000. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, major federal actions with significant environmental effects require a public environmental assessment or impact statement before proceeding. No such review has been conducted or made public.
Romano and Douglas, who both live in Alexandria, state that Washington’s national monuments belong to all Americans and should not be corruptly exploited for private commercial gain.
The plaintiffs have filed a motion for a temporary restraining order. If granted, UFC Freedom 250 would be suspended while the court considers the case.
It can take a judge anything from a few days to several weeks to issue a TRO. There is a certain degree of urgency in this particular case with UFC Freedom 250 set for Sunday, June 14. The federal district court for the District of Columbia has just four days to consider the complaint and decide whether to issue a restraining order. We will find out in the next few days whether Romano and Douglas are successful in their bid.
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