US President Donald Trump has faced criticism for staging the US$60 million UFC-funded event after the war with Iran, which has sent global energy prices soaring and caused a major knock-on effect for US consumers.
The arena for the UFC Freedom 250 fights on the South Lawn of the White House is photographed on Jun 11, 2026, in Washington. (Photo: AP/Alex Brandon)
15 Jun 2026 05:36AM
(Updated: 15 Jun 2026 09:43AM)
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday with an extraordinary display of political machismo on Sunday (Jun 14), staging a cage fight on the White House lawn hours after announcing a peace deal with Iran.In unprecedented scenes, Trump walked out of the Oval Office alongside Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boss Dana White and headed towards the giant arena dubbed "The Claw".On the way, the reality TV star-turned-president mounted the historic Truman balcony and saluted while the national anthem and 12 US military jets staged a noisy flyover of the White House.Trump then took his place on the South Lawn, beside the mesh-fenced cage called the Octagon, where 14 fighters will beat each other bloody in the first professional sporting event ever held at the White House.
