President Trump Plans UFC Fight on White House Lawn

These past events brought people together. They were often made for children and families. The annual Easter Egg Roll happens on the South Lawn. So does the congressional picnic. These events helped create happy memories at the White House.

This weekend will be very different. Workers are building a large wire cage on the lawn. They are also putting up thousands of seats for people to watch. Big screens and special lights called 'The Claw' will make it look like a sports arena. This setup brings what some call a 'blood sport' to a place known for family fun.

Trump has been a UFC fan for many years. He often goes to fights around the country. Dana White, who runs UFC, is one of Trump's friends. Trump used UFC events during his 2024 campaign to reach new voters. He thinks the tough fighting style matches his approach to politics.

Sports have always been important to presidents. Many were good athletes before becoming president. Abraham Lincoln and William Howard Taft were strong wrestlers when they were young. John Quincy Adams swam in the Potomac River every day. But Trump's UFC event is unlike anything done before at the White House.

Teddy Roosevelt was the first president to make sports a big part of White House life. He put in the first tennis court on the lawn. His wife worried he worked too much. She thought tennis would help him relax. Roosevelt played tennis every day at 3 p.m., no matter what the weather was like.

Roosevelt also boxed inside the White House. These fights were much smaller than Trump's UFC event. During one boxing match in 1905, Roosevelt hurt his left eye badly. He was sparring with a military helper when it happened. The injury damaged his retina and affected his sight.

Other presidents found different ways to stay active. Herbert Hoover played a game that mixed tennis and volleyball. The game used heavy medicine balls that weighed 6 pounds. A White House doctor helped create this game to keep Hoover healthy. People started calling it 'Hoover-ball' after the president.

More recent presidents have used sports to connect with voters. John F. Kennedy was good at golf but hid this skill. He worried it might make him look bad to voters. Instead, he showed videos of his family playing football and swimming. Barack Obama filled out basketball tournament brackets every year on TV.