Trump builds massive arena at White House for birthday cage fight

Crews are erecting an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn that will host next month’s UFC event

It has played host to countless world leaders and moments in history. Now US President Donald Trump has built a huge cage-fighting arena on the White House’s South Lawn.

Cranes lifted giant metal arches into place Tuesday for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event on Trump’s 80th birthday on June 14.

“We’re having a big fight. It’s never going to happen again, never happened before,” Trump said at an Oval Office event earlier this month, surrounded by four of the fighters taking part.

Trump also showed off a picture of the so-called Octagon – the eight-sided UFC ring bounded by a chain-link fence – surrounded by seats against the backdrop of the White House.

The billionaire Republican says 4,500 people will be able to watch on the lawn itself, with up to 100,000 people able to watch free on screens just outside the White House grounds.

Trump himself is a UFC fan who has attended a series of fights, endearing himself to its core fan base of young men – a key demographic in the 2024 US election.