White House Fight Card Marks 25-Year Ties Between UFC and Trump
A live UFC event on the South Lawn concludes a quarter-century relationship that began with a $2 million purchase in Atlantic City.
By Ethan Cooper ·
The relationship between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Donald Trump spans 25 years, a bond that culminated on June 14, 2026, when the White House hosted a live professional fight card.
This event, named UFC Freedom 250, took place on the South Lawn on Trump's 80th birthday. It marked a new milestone in a friendship that began in Atlantic City in the early 2000s. The connection traces back to a business deal that saved a struggling promotion and helped launch a global brand.
The foundation of this alliance was laid in November 2000 at the Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City. The venue was owned by Trump, who allowed the UFC to hold a sanctioned event there. The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board had permitted the fight despite bans in 36 other states. Dana White attended that night as a fighter's manager, not as a UFC official. He was there with Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta III, who were discussing how they might run an MMA promotion themselves.
Three months later, the Fertittas' company, Zuffa LLC, bought the UFC for $2 million. They appointed White as president. The new owners needed a venue for their first two events. Trump agreed to host UFC 30 and UFC 31 at his Taj Mahal casino. This support came at a difficult time for Trump, whose Atlantic City operations reported a net loss of $133.8 million in 1999. The umbrella company for his casinos filed for bankruptcy twice in the following decade.
White credited Trump's brand with legitimizing the UFC in the eyes of other venues. He told CBS's 60 Minutes in 2025 that other venues did not want to host the fights. He recalled that Trump saw the UFC brand was low and raised it up. White has maintained a strong personal relationship with Trump since then. He described Trump as one of ten close friends in his life, noting that their bond has grown stronger over the years.
The two men's paths crossed again in 2008 when Trump announced a partnership with Affliction Entertainment, a rival MMA promotion. Trump stated he had great respect for White during a news conference. He suggested that if there were only one organization, fighter pay would be lower. Affliction held its first event in July 2008, but the company folded in July 2009 after a steroid test failure led to a cancellation. White had predicted the rival would go out of business shortly after its debut.
Political ties deepened in 2015. Trump commented on Holly Holm's knockout of Ronda Rousey, calling Rousey not a nice person. White publicly backed Trump's presidential campaign in December 2015. He spoke at the Republican National Convention in July 2016, calling Trump a fighter. Steven Cheung, the UFC's communications director, left the promotion to join Trump's campaign team in July 2016. White and his wife watched election night results from a New York City hotel in November 2016.
Trump has attended numerous UFC events, including four while serving as president. White introduced Trump at two Republican National Conventions. The friendship continued into the fall of 2026, with Trump inviting White to join his administration as press secretary. The June 14 White House event was the first time a live professional sporting event was staged on the White House grounds. Presidents have previously hosted championship teams and amateur games on the South Lawn, but the UFC card was a new format.
White reflected on the history in a 2011 interview, stating that Trump gave the UFC its first shot. He said he would never say anything bad about Trump. The 25-year alliance has evolved from a financial rescue in Atlantic City to a national spectacle at the White House. The timeline of their involvement includes business deals, political endorsements, and personal friendships that have shaped the modern MMA landscape.
