Trump celebrates 80th birthday with UFC fights while issues loom over his presidency

By — Will Weissert, Associated Press Will Weissert, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-celebrates-80th-birthday-with-ufc-fights-while-issues-loom-over-his-presidency Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump celebrates 80th birthday with UFC fights while issues loom over his presidency Politics Jun 14, 2026 12:38 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump marks turning 80 on Sunday with a birthday celebration that once would have seemed unfathomable: a cage-fighting show on the storied South Lawn of the White House. This week, the hard realities of the office have threatened to overshadow the ostentatious UFC mixed martial arts extravaganza, where combatants sealed inside a wire-mesh octagon try to punch, kick, chop and pummel each other into submission. WATCH: A sneak peek of UFC's Octagon at the White House Trump has found himself boxed into an unpopular and costly war he helped start in Iran. An agreement to end the conflict could be close, but the crucial details are still to be negotiated. Meanwhile, about a mile from Trump's birthday bash, crews pried the president's name off the Kennedy Center after a judge ruled naming it after Trump had gone too far. Regardless, the president will walk out of the White House and be surrounded by Cabinet leaders, top administration officials, Republican lawmakers and 4,000-plus spectators screaming themselves hoarse in a temporary arena under "The Claw," a spaceship-like metal arch fitted with lighting, sound equipment and large screens. Thousands more will be watching on big screens from the nearby Ellipse. "This event is a one of one event, incredible event. I love it," said UFC chief Dana White, a close friend of the president, during a Friday night hype session at the Lincoln Memorial where pairs of fighters shoved and scuffled for the cameras under the stoic gaze of Honest Abe's marble likeness. READ MORE: Trump compares White House UFC cage to Eiffel Tower, says 'maybe we'll never ever take it down' The president has sought to tie Sunday's event — which features seven fights running past midnight — to larger, months-long celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But it is much more geared toward feting himself, so much so that the G7 summit for leaders of industrialized nations pushed back their get-together so that the president could attend his cage-match party and then fly straight to France for the meetings. The weather, though, could put a major damper on things. Strong thunderstorms and heavy lightning disrupted Friday's Lincoln Memorial event, and the forecast for Sunday evening also looks threatening. "I'm sick and tired of hearing about the weather," White declared on Friday, before conceding that he'll prefer to hold future UFC events inside arenas only. A dramatic departure from how the last president marked his 80th When Trump's