Dana White preparing pitch to Donald Trump for 'badass' UFC White House event
During a recent speech, U.S. president Trump proposed hosting a UFC event on the grounds of the White House on July 4, 2026. Trump is a fan of the UFC and has attended recent pay-per-view events in Newark, N.J., and Miami. However, the idea of hosting an event at the president's official residence in Washington is a different beast that involves enormous preparation, especially considering the White House is not a venue for sporting events.
"My team already went and walked the White House," White said on "The Full Send Podcast." "We did all the logistics, and we're putting together sort of the layout for it right now, and probably going to pitch it to him in the next week or two. The day that he said he wanted to do it, he put Ivanka (Trump) in charge. So, I've worked with Ivanka and my team and go to where we are now and now we've got to pitch the whole thing to him. Me, Craig Borsari, my head of production, and Ivanka will all go pitch it to him.
"... He's got this thing, and I think it's awesome where he wants the American people to enjoy the White House. This is our place, it's all the history that's there. You know he's bringing back all the Easter egg hunts, and things that used to happen there. He loves the sport, so he wants to do a UFC event there, and why would we say no to that?"
(Aside from being canceled during the COVID pandemic, the White House Easter Egg Roll and egg hunt have occurred every year since. Trump's latest iteration opened the door for corporate sponsorships, raising questions of ethics violations.)
White has taken on challenging venues in the past, most notably UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas. The event won two Sports Emmys for Outstanding Graphic Design – Specialty and Outstanding Studio or Production Design/Art Direction. It was a massive undertaking for the promotion to execute the one-off event, but it succeeded.
However, an outdoor event, which the promotion has avoided in the past, and one that comes with the security protocols of the White House, presents a whole different set of hurdles.
"(There are) Tons of challenges," White said. "First of all, I don't know how many people can get in. Not to mention the fact that Secret Service isn't gonna let a lot of people come to this. Everybody's gonna have to have background checks. So, whoever gets to be there live, it will be such a unique, amazing experience in their lifetime, to be able to go to this fight.
"For us, when you think about when the fight is going on, while the fight's happening and we're filming, one whole side of the backdrop will be the White House, and the other side will be the Washington Monument. It's so unique, so badass, and so 'once ever.'"
The location White describes would likely be the Ellipse, a 52-acre outdoor space situated between the White House and the Washington Monument. The grassy area is a part of President's Park, which typically hosts smaller concerts, celebrations and political events.
White anticipates the proposed fight card would not have a live gate, as all of the tickets would be comped for an exclusive invite-only ticket. If things come together logistically, White sees the dream main event as a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. However, a lot can change in a year, and White says he has no shortage of fighters wanting to be a part of the would-be historic event.
"We will absolutely positively put on the baddest card of all time. ... This is going to be like an exceptional pay-per-view card."
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