‘Reeks of corruption’: protesters rally as Trump hosts UFC event on his birthday

<p>Demonstrations took off in Washington and across US as Trump throws first private, for-profit sporting event ever held on White House grounds</p><p>Dozens of people stood across the entrance gates to the Ellipse, the park south of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/washington-dc">White House</a>, on Sunday afternoon, holding protest signs and chanting as the president prepared to host seven mixed martial arts fights on the lawn.</p><p>Thousands of fight fans streamed past the protesters into the sprawling public viewing area that the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/trump-administration">Trump administration</a> and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/ufc">UFC</a>), which is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/13/trump-ufc-birthday-white-house">hosting the fights</a>, erected steps from the White House. The cage fights, marketed as a celebration of the country’s “fighting spirit” ahead of its 250th anniversary, are being held on Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/jun/14/donald-trump-turns-80-faces-foe-father-time">80th birthday</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/14/trump-ufc-fight-white-house-protest">Continue reading...</a>