The hottest ticket in Washington’s GOP circles is an invitation to attend President Donald Trump’s planned UFC fight on the White House South Lawn.
The event, planned for Sunday to celebrate Trump’s 80th birthday and America’s 250th anniversary, will be attended by several lawmakers, who were given one ticket for the event.
The guest list includes Reps. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Brian Jack (R-GA), Addison McDowell (R-NC), William Timmons (R-SC), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), and Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), the Washington Examiner confirmed.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Education Secretary Linda McMahon will also be in attendance. CNN reported that several members of Trump’s family, including Donald Trump Jr. and first lady Melania Trump, will also be there.
Podcaster Joe Rogan, who endorsed Trump in 2024, will commentate the fight.
The Washington Examiner will update this story as more officials confirm their plans to attend the White House event.
Tickets for the event were scarce, with the president controlling the majority of the invites, according to UFC CEO Dana White. White, during an appearance on The Katie Miller Podcast, said he held 200 tickets, while another 200 were given to Ari Emanuel, executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings, which owns UFC. Ari is the brother of Rahm Emanuel, a potential Democratic candidate for president in 2028.
“I guess the best way to get the tickets is from the president,” White said. “He’s got more than anybody.”
White House spokeswoman Allison Schuster said the fight on the South Lawn will be “one of the most entertaining nights in American history.”
“Having this spectacle take place at the People’s House on Flag Day during our nations’ semiquincentennial anniversary is a fitting tribute,” Schuster said.
The UFC fight on the White House lawn will cost $60 million and require involvement from more than seven federal agencies, according to the Associated Press.
During his podcast appearance, White said the president pitched the idea of having a UFC fight at the White House.
“We were at a fight, and he leans over and says, ‘You should do a fight at the White House,’ and I said, ‘Yes, yes, we should,’” White recalled.
For the event, a specially constructed outdoor venue known as “the Claw” was built on the South Lawn. The venue has 4,500 seats, while thousands more will be able to watch the fights on the Ellipse. The UFC event is just one of many events scheduled to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday. Other events for the semiquincentennial include a planned “state fair” on the National Mall and an IndyCar race.
The event is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Sunday, with a seven-fight lineup planned.
“This will be one of the greatest and most historic sports events in history, and President Trump hosting it at the White House is a testament to his vision to celebrate America’s monumental 250th anniversary,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a statement.
A federal judge on Friday rejected a lawsuit filed by two Virginia residents to stop the event, ruling that the individuals did not show a likelihood of standing to bring the claims in federal court.
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U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, also ruled that even if the individuals had standing, they did not prove they would be harmed by the event taking place.
“Plaintiffs’ unreasonable delay in filing suit, though not dispositive, undercuts their claims of irreparable harm,” Mehta wrote. “The public has known that the White House would be hosting a UFC fight event since President Trump first announced it in July 2025. Equipment and materials for the event began arriving at the White House around May 20, 2026, and construction of the Claw began six days later. Plaintiffs, however, waited until June 7, 2026 — more than two weeks after visible preparations commenced at the White House — to seek emergency relief.”
Naomi Lim contributed to this report.