Lawsuit Seeks to Block UFC Event on White House South Lawn

A federal lawsuit filed last weekend seeks to stop construction and cancel a mixed martial arts event planned for the White House South Lawn on Sunday. The complaint, brought by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents, states that the event violates National Park Service policy prohibiting sporting events on the South Lawn.

It also claims the project did not receive congressional approval for a large structure or undergo required environmental review.

The filing describes the event as both illegal and corrupt, alleging that authorization procedures were bypassed to allow a private, for-profit sports event on federal parkland. The suit names the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior, and executives from each department as defendants.

A temporary restraining order was also requested to halt ongoing construction of an octagon-shaped structure with an open dome and about 5,000 seats.

A Trump administration official stated that the lawsuit is baseless and that the event is properly permitted. The official compared it to other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and permitted activities on the Ellipse and National Mall. The lawsuit argues that a temporary National Park Service rule allowing certain 250th anniversary events does not apply, because the mixed martial arts card is organized and executed by a private company rather than a federal agency or the Semiquincentennial Commission.