Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyle(AFP via Getty Images)President Donald Trump has suggested that 'The Claw,' a large UFC arena being erected in front of the White House for a 'Freedom 250' celebration, could remain permanently, comparing its potential longevity to that of the Eiffel Tower.The octagon-shaped arena will host a mixed-martial arts event on June 14, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. founding and Trump's 80th birthday, featuring fighters like Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje, and Alex Pereira.Approximately 5,000 spectators, including VIPs and military members, are expected to attend the event in person, with additional viewers watching on large screens at Washington’s Ellipse Park.White House spokesman Davis Ingle stated the event will be a historic triumph, despite it occurring during a challenging period in Trump’s second term, marked by unresolved peace terms with Iran and public concerns over inflation.Several artists, including Morris Day and The Time, Young MC, Martina McBride, and Bret Michaels, have withdrawn from the 'Freedom 250' project, claiming they were misled about its political nature, leading Trump to pledge to headline the event himself.In fullTrump says the giant UFC arena set up outside the White House could stay up foreverThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

When President Donald Trump first presented the idea of a UFC fight on the White House South Lawn, some people thought he was joking.

The UFC ring has been decked out in patriotic colors ahead of the UFC Freedom 250

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The arched framework for a temporary arena already looms over the neoclassical building like a looping roller coaster at a theme park.

Critics of the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 have called the arena "tacky" and "undignified."

The "UFC Freedom Fights 250" will take place on June 14.

President compares ‘The Claw’ to the Eiffel Tower as preparations for his troubled ‘Freedom 250’ celebration continue

President Donald Trump is suggesting that the UFC lighting grid, known as “The Claw,” will stay on the White House South Lawn well beyond the fight there later this month.

President Trump compared the UFC arena recently installed at the White House to the Eiffel Tower and said it could remain there permanently.

Calling the UFC arena his Eiffel Tower was clearly a troll. But it wouldn’t be the first online Trump taunt to take physical form.

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UFC Freedom 250 goes down from the South Lawn of the White House in just over a week, headlined by two title fights.

The US president compared the structure to France’s Eiffel Tower, which was supposed to have been dismantled 20 years after it was built.

In a video posted on his TikTok account, the president likened the arena that is being constructed on the White House’s South Lawn to the Eiffel Tower

The president compared the UFC stage to the Eiffel Tower, saying the Paris landmark was once supposed to be taken down.