Trump reveals plan to host UFC title fight at WHITE HOUSE in front of 20,000 fans to celebrate America's 250th birthday
The"championship" punch up could take place on the presidential lawn and draw over 20,000 fans.
5
5
Trump, 79, who is pally with UFC president Dana White and a big UFC fan, announced his ambitious plan at an event in Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday.
It comes just weeks after the president was pictured at the UFC 316 in New Jersey.
Speaking emphatically to the crowd, he called on White to help organise the fight, which he said could take place at the White House because there is "a lot of land".
He said: "Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White?
"We're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have a UFC fight - think of this - on the grounds of the White House.
"We have a lot of land there, we're going to build a little — we're not, Dana is going to do it.
"Dana is great, one of a kind — going to be UFC fight, championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 to 25,000 people, and we're going to do that as part of '250.'"
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the plans on X, adding that the president is "dead serious".
The announcement marks the start of a whole year's worth of festivities to celebrate 250 years since American gained independence from the British.
Trump's connections with the UFC date back over two decades, while his relationship with White has always been strong.
The UFC boss backed the president's political career from the start, calling Trump a "fighter" and endorsing his presidential bid in 2016.
Donald Trump plots shock UFC title fight at the White House as Dana White 'confirms' plan for 2026
When Trump survived a failed assassination attempt the White declared the president a "tough guy".
He later called the 79-year-old "the legitimate, ultimate, American badass of all time".
Later, in an interview with Tucker Carlson at Fox News, he touched on the pair's strong relationship, calling Trump "great" and a "good friend".
He said: "This guy has been so good to me it's unexplainable.
"He's been a very good friend to me since the day I met him.
"When we bought this company it had such a bad stigma attached to it and the sport that we couldn't even get into venues, they didn't want us.
"Donald Trump saw that this thing could possibly be big.
"Plus he's a sports guy who loves sports, and he offered us to come do the event at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
"He cut us a very fair deal and we went down there and did two events with him where he showed up for the first fight and stayed until the last fight.
"Imagine back then; Trump brand is way up, UFC brand is way down, but he took us in and he was great."
5
5
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Trump calls bankers a term long considered antisemitic
"The meaning of Shylock is somebody that's a money lender at high rates," Trump said after disembarking from Air Force One. "You view it differently. I've never heard that." Anti-bigotry groups were quick to condemn Trump, saying the president has a long history of making antisemitic remarks and should have known better. "Shylock is among the most quintessential antisemitic stereotypes," said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the nonpartisan Jewish Council for Public Affairs and an expert on antisemitism and extremism. "This is not an accident," Spitalnick said in a post on X. "It follows years in which Trump has normalized antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories -- and it's deeply dangerous." The Anti-Defamation League, which combats antisemitism and racism worldwide, said the term "evokes a centuries-old antisemitic trope about Jews and greed that is extremely offensive and dangerous." "President Trump's use of the term is very troubling and irresponsible," the ADL said, also in a post on X. "It underscores how lies and conspiracies about Jews remain deeply entrenched in our country. Words from our leaders matter and we expect more from the President of the United States." 'Shylocks and bad people' who 'destroyed a lot of families' Trump's remark came at a campaign-style rally speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines for a "Salute to America Celebration." Much of his speech celebrated the passage of his massive budget reconciliation bill earlier in the day. "No death tax. No estate tax. No going to the banks and borrowing from, in some cases, a fine banker -- and in some cases, shylocks and bad people... they destroyed a lot of families," Trump said. "But we did the opposite," Trump said, before describing the budget bill passed along party lines in the House and Senate. The term Shylock dates back centuries. In William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," the main antagonist was a character named Shylock, a Venetian Jewish moneylender portrayed as greedy, ruthless and charging high interest rates on loans. Joe Biden used the term too, then apologized Then-Vice President Joe Biden also used the term in 2014, describing unscrupulous bankers catering to American troops overseas as "these Shylocks who took advantage of these women and men." "Shylock represents the medieval stereotype about Jews and remains an offensive characterization to this day," Abraham Foxman, the ADL's national director said at the time. "The Vice President should have been more careful." Foxman later announced that Biden had reached out to him by phone to apologize. "Not only has he been a stalwart against anti-Semitism and bigotry, but he has the courage and forthrightness to admit a mistake and use it as an opportunity to learn and to teach others about the harmful effects of stereotypes," Foxman said of Biden. "Clearly there was no ill-intent here," Foxman added, "but Joe and I agreed that perhaps he needs to bone up on his Shakespeare." Biden also issued a public apology. "Abe Foxman has been a friend and advisor of mine for a long time," Biden said in a statement. "He's correct, it was a poor choice of words." Trump's history of remarks called antisemitic Trump has portrayed himself as a staunch advocate for Jews. Since retaking office, he has led an aggressive campaign to root out antisemitism at Harvard and other high-profile American universities - a move that some critics said curbs freedom of speech by those criticizing Israel for its war in Gaza. Trump has a long history of making statements that Jewish leaders, historians and civil rights organizations have interpreted as reinforcing antisemitic stereotypes, including jokes about being cheap and aggressive in business and accusations of them being primarily loyal to Israel. He also has associated with known antisemites. In 2015, he told the Republican Jewish Coalition, "You just like me because my daughter happens to be Jewish," and "I'm a negotiator like you folks; we're negotiators." During his first campaign for president in 2016, Trump tweeted an image of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton superimposed on dollar bills with a six-pointed star, widely interpreted as a Star of David. The ADL called it "blatantly antisemitic." Trump also has said any Jew who votes for Democratic "hates their religion" and "should have their head examined" because he has been so supporitive of Israel, which he has referred to as "your country" when addressing a Jewish audience. And in November 2022, Trump hosted far-right extremist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes - and Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West - at his Mar-a-Lago club. Both West and Fuentes were avid supporters of Trump who repeatedly had made antisemitic remarks. Fuentes in particular is a prominent figure among the far-right, peddling white nationalist ideas and openly promoting antisemitic and racist rhetoric. "Bigotry, hate, and antisemitism have absolutely no place in America - including at Mar-A-Lago," Biden administration White House spokesman Andrew Bates told CNN in a statement. "Holocaust denial is repugnant and dangerous, and it must be forcefully condemned." In response to heavy criticism, Trump said West "called me to have dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Shortly thereafter, he unexpectedly showed up with three of his friends, whom I knew nothing about."
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
'Big Beautiful Bill' summary shows the biggest changes for you
? Extension of the 2017 tax cuts: This is the biggest item, costing about $3.7 trillion over the next 10 years, according to the non-partisan Tax Foundation. That's money the federal government won't collect. ? Cuts to health care and food programs: These proposed reductions would save about $1.3 trillion, based on a June 17 report from the Congressional Budget Office. The winners (and losers): Who benefits the most in Trump's "big beautiful" tax bill Skip to: OTHER TAX CUTS, BENEFITS | MORE FUNDING | LESS FUNDING The Penn Wharton Budget Model forecasts that the lowest-income households will be left worse off because of cuts to Medicare and SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. Those Americans could lose $27,500 over a lifetime, while the highest-income households would gain more than $65,000. How people at every income level will fare: Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Back to top In addition to extending the tax cuts from the 2017 tax bill, Americans who live in high-tax states such as California, New York and New Jersey will get a bigger income tax deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT. That tax break will last only through 2028. In one of the most talked-about provisions and one of Trump's 2024 campaign promises, tips and overtime wages will no longer be taxed - sort of. The final version of the bill set limits on both. Some of the other tax reductions you can expect: Back to top Back to top Back to top How big is the bill for the tax bill? Depending on whom you ask on Capitol Hill, the cost of the bill could be as little as $440 billion, while other, more conventional estimates put the cost at nearly 10 times higher. As Senate Republicans pushed toward passage, they requested that the Joint Committee on Taxation omit the 2017 tax cuts in a new estimate. Without those portions, the bill's total cost falls to $441 billion. Senate Republicans argue that because the bill extends current tax law, those cuts shouldn't be counted. More traditional methods have pegged the cost around $2.7 trillion to $3.3 trillion. Back to top Contributing: Reuters
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Bad Bunny calls out Donald Trump in 'NUEVAYoL' music video
"I'm in the United States. I know America is the whole continent," the faux Trump continues. "I want to say that this country is nothing without the immigrants. This country is nothing without Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Cubans ..." Recently, due to Trump's ongoing immigration crackdown, Southern California has been the epicenter of dozens of ICE raids since early June. On July 3, Congress passed Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," which will allocate $45 billion for immigration detention centers as well as about $30 billion to hire more ICE personnel, for transportation costs and to maintain ICE facilities, according to NPR. Bad Bunny launches a political statement, making fun of President Donald Trump on the 4th of July. ???????? — Bad Bunny HQ (@BBPRTV) July 4, 2025 Bad Bunny features Puerto Rico flag across Statue of Liberty in music video It wouldn't be a Bad Bunny music video without giving a nod to his Puerto Rican heritage. In the music video, the 31-year-old also features a powerful image of the Puerto Rican flag against the Statue of Liberty's forehead. Bad Bunny ended the "NUEVAYoL" music video with another message: "Juntos Somos Mas Fuertes" ("Together We Are Stronger"). Bad Bunny's latest album "Debi Tirar Mas Fotos" pays tribute to his Boricua roots and sees the singer incorporate traditional genres such as Plena, salsa and jibaro into his signature Latin urbano sound. The 17-track LP features collaborations with Puerto Rican acts including RaiNao, Omar Courtz and Dei V, and Los Pleneros de la Cresta. What happens now? Bad Bunny's residency is supercharging Puerto Rico's tourism. In honor of the album's release, Bad Bunny is hosting an estimated 600,000 concertgoers at his sold-out No Me Quiero Ir De Aqui concert residency, which will take place at the Coliseo de Puerto from July 11 to Sept. 14. "The idea for the residency was always there, for as long as I can remember," Bad Bunny told Variety in an interview. "But it became difficult to ignore, the more time passed. I'll admit, it was hard to complete my last tour, because all I wanted to do was move into this chapter." Watch Bad Bunny's new music video for 'NUEVAYoL': In May, Bad Bunny announced a world tour for "DeBI TiRAR MaS FOToS" - but to many fans' surprise, it excluded the U.S. The tour will kick off Nov. 21 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before making its way through Latin America through late February. Bad Bunny will also perform in Sydney, Australia, for the first time, before a performance in Tokyo in March. He'll be hitting up Europe in June and July, visiting London, Marseille, Stockholm and Milan. Bad Bunny's residency is supercharging Puerto Rico's tourism With an estimated 600,000 attendees throughout the residency, the concert series is sparking what Glorianna Yamin, vice president of marketing at Discover Puerto Rico, called a "peak period for tourism." Halfway around the world, Hawaii's high levels of tourism are negatively impacting the islands. From overcrowded trails to traffic congestion, the Pacific islands have been actively seeking visitors who want to create a deeper connection with Hawaii. Puerto Rico, for its part, is paying attention. "It's definitely a change for the industry," Yamin told USA TODAY. "The entire tourism industry is getting ready." It's not just about the crowds. Discover Puerto Rico (DPR), the island's destination marketing organization, is using this moment to highlight the importance of responsible and sustainable tourism. Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico: Expect higher prices for flights, hotels this summer More: Bad Bunny fans won't want to leave Puerto Rico after visiting these 17 places "We are making sure that we're educating those visitors; first, so they behave as they should, but also so they're intrigued about our culture, our music, our history, our gastronomy ... things Bad Bunny touches on in his album and already has momentum with," Yamin said. Contributing: Edward Segarra, Josh Rivera, USA TODAY
