Celebrities reportedly skip Trump’s White House birthday fight night celebrations
Donald Trump. (Image: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty)
A growing list of celebrities are reportedly declining invitations to Donald Trump’s 80th birthday-linked UFC event at the White House, with the outdoor fight night also facing criticism and a last-minute lawsuit.
Adam Sandler, Jared Leto and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson are said to be among the Hollywood names turning down invites to the Sunday night show. The trio were previously linked to the guest list after Dana White, the UFC president and Trump ally, discussed invitations during an interview last month.
Sandler, Leto and Johnson were reportedly invited alongside Tom Brady, Guy Ritchie and Mario Lopez. Representatives for Sandler, Leto and Lopez reportedly said they would not be attending, and a source close to Johnson also said he would not go.
The event, set for the South Lawn, is due to start at 8pm local time on Sunday, with up to 5,000 guests expected. A huge octagonal stage dubbed “the Claw”, with about 4,300 seats, has been built for the night.
Backlash around the White House UFC
UFC fighter Sean Strickland has claimed he was blocked from appearing after criticising Trump. In a post on X, he wrote: “I made fun of Israel and [Jeffrey] Epstein,” before adding: “I later got a call from the UFC saying I wasn’t cleared by the White House,” and: “The only male American champ banned at the White House because I said Trump is owned by [Binyamin Netanyahu]. That’s not public opinion, it’s fact.”
Joe Rogan has also criticised the plan, saying: “The White House thing is odd. I don’t like it,” and: “I don’t like the idea of fighting outside at all.”
Lawsuit threat and the cost
A last-minute lawsuit by the Public Integrity Project is seeking to stop the event, alleging it breaks National Park Service regulations and lacked congressional consent and environmental review.
The UFC and its parent company, TKO Group Holdings, said they will pay the $60 million (£45 million) cost of staging the event, including setting aside up to $1 million to restore the South Lawn afterwards. TKO has said it expects losses of $30 million after sponsorship and broadcast rights.
Trump turns 80 on 14 June, which also coincides with Flag Day. His second term has remained a lightning rod in US culture-war politics, including repeated clashes over LGBTQ+ rights and education policy, with his administration and allies criticised by LGBTQ+ groups over policies affecting trans healthcare, military service and anti-discrimination protections, including a court move that halted an anti-trans prison policy.
