President Trump: UFC card coming to White House in '26

The Octagon likely is coming to the White House next year.

President Donald Trump plans to have the UFC hold a fight card at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2026 as part of the United States' 250th birthday celebration.

The Republican president, who is close with UFC president Dana White, made the announcement on Thursday during an appearance at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

Trump 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' also."

Trump has attended numerous UFC events, including UFC 314 at Miami in April, when he sat with White.

On the last night of the 2024 Republican National Convention, White made the introduction when the once and future president accepted his party's nomination.

Trump said Thursday, "Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of 'America250.'"

--Field Level Media