The UFC Is Debasing Itself for Donald Trump
The Freedom 250 mixed martial arts event at the White House will be a new low for the UFC and its president, Dana White. After campaigning for Donald Trump in 2024, White is now turning the sport he runs into a propaganda prop for Trump’s 80th birthday.
During the 2024 election, UFC President Dana White cemented his alliance with Donald Trump: pro-Trump messaging appeared at UFC events, and White stood alongside Trump on election night. Now he’s coming to the White House to cash in on their friendship. (Frank Franklin II / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
On June 14, the White House will be hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event called “Freedom 250.” The date of the event happens to coincide with Donald Trump’s eightieth birthday. Zac Brown will perform the national anthem for Freedom 250, which can boast generous sponsorship from the crypto industry.
The Freedom 250 extravaganza doesn’t come as a bolt from the blue. Over the past decade, the UFC and its president, Dana White, have moved steadily toward the Republican right in general and Trump in particular.
Donald and Dana
White’s relationship with Trump dates back to the early 2000s. Trump hosted UFC events at his Atlantic City properties at a time when the promotion was struggling for mainstream legitimacy, and White has repeatedly credited him with giving the UFC a platform when few others would.
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