UFC President and CEO Dana White defended plans to host a major mixed martial arts event on the White House South Lawn next month, describing it as a patriotic celebration of America’s 250th anniversary rather than a political statement.

Construction for “UFC Freedom 250” began over the weekend, with the event scheduled for June 14th, Flag Day, which also marks President Donald Trump’s birthday. White told Time magazine the spectacle is about honoring the country, not advancing a partisan agenda.

“You can make anything political if you want to,” White said. “This is basically me spending a ton of money to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, with America and the rest of the world.”

President Trump has expressed support for the event, anticipating thousands of fans in attendance. White, a longtime Trump ally who spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, emphasized the goal of delivering “the most historic sporting event in history.”

Mark Shapiro, president and COO of TKO Group Holdings, which oversees UFC, called the White House event the “greatest earned marketing tool of all time,” noting the global attention it will generate in a single day.