Trump finally makes grand entrance to White House UFC extravaganza as president is joined by Melania and Dana White after weather delayed fight night start time

The birthday boy got his wish on Sunday with UFC Freedom 250, where one of the most anticipated fight cards in the promotion’s history is now underway. 

Celebrating his 80th birthday, President Donald Trump was greeted by a chorus of trumpets on the White House’s South Lawn as he sauntered in alongside promoter Dana White ahead of the Zac Brown Band’s rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. A 12-jet flyover followed as AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’ blared, which proved somewhat ironic after the proceedings were delayed by weather forecasts.   

But the weather hasn’t stopped Trump’s inner circle from gathering cageside. 

First Lady Melania Trump was escorted to her seat by a uniformed servicemember shortly after the arrivals of secretaries Scott Bessent (Treasury), Pete Hegseth (Defense) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Health and Human Services) and Howard Lutnick (Commerce). 

Trump’s homeland security advisor Stephen Miller brought his wife, Katie, just 11 days after she gave birth to the couple’s fourth child.  Also on hand are NHL stars, Olympic gold medalists and Trump loyalists Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, as well as a number of high-ranking UFC champions. 

And as is usually the case whenever Trump attends UFC events, sons Donald Jr. and Eric were also on hand, this with their wives, Bettina and Lara. But there were also some surprise guests as well, including Poland’s right-wing President Karol Nawrocki. 

Thousands of fight fans and many protestors have also descended on Washington DC for the UFC Freedom 250 fight card at the White House , where officials ultimately gave their green light to proceed despite lightning and thunder in the area.

The White House has been particularly sensitive about the subject of a weather delay. Earlier on Sunday, when the Weather Channel reported ‘Rain, 30mph winds and mosquitos on the White House lawn,’ a furious administration spokesperson shot back on X.

‘This event is about celebrating America’s unmatched greatness after 250 years — which apparently doesn’t sit well with the friendless loser who wrote this bulls*** clickbait headline,’ read the post from the White House’s @RapidResponse47 account.

Fortunately for attendees, the threatening storms have held off, allowing the fight card to get underway shortly after the original scheduled 8pm start.  

Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia opened UFC Freedom 250 in a featherweight bout under the structure known as the Claw, a four-sided mass that arcs more than 90 feet (27 meters) into the air and features lights, speakers, thick snakes of wiring and four large screens so fans not seated right next to the Octagon can follow the cage fighting below.

Garcia walked out of the White House draped in an American flag and accompanied by two police officers. Lopes walked out to the Mexican song “La Chona.”

Fans were as quiet for the start of the main card Sunday as they might be for the preliminary fights held hours before a pay-per-view event in a normal fight arena, such as Madison Square Garden. Closer to the Rose Garden, fans did come alive when Lopes landed a flurry of punches to knock out Garcia in the second round.

The show was steeped in pageantry and stands as an outlier among UFC events. Meanwhile, UFC’s ring girls, who normally parade around the cage in skimpy outfits, were covered up for a more PG-rated fight night. The women were stylishly dressed in more full-body outfits, some that flowed past the knee or to the ground, that incorporated the American flag into the designs.

Much of the interest around the event has centered on the outdoor setup – something White has traditionally resisted due to concerns about weather and bugs.  

Eric shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the distinct setting for Sunday night’s fight festivities. 

From the roof of the White House, the 42-year-old showed aerial view of the newly constructed arena underneath ‘The Claw,’ a spaceship-like metal arch fitted with lighting, sound equipment and large screens.

To the side, cranes loomed over the White House as part of the construction for the new East Wing ballroom. 

Meanwhile, outside the White House, angry protestors have been Trump over his immigration policy, allegations of corruption, and the war with Iran, which the President once again claimed to have ended earlier Sunday. 

‘Congratulations to all!’ he wrote on social media, without providing details about the deal to open the Strait of Hormuz. He added, ‘Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!’ 

The protestors aren’t the only unwelcome guests the event.  

MMA fighter Sean Strickland was escorted out of a UFC Freedom 250 by US Secret Service and other law enforcement after his mocking comments about Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. 

Strickland claimed earlier this month that he had been banned over his comments about Trump’s connections to the convicted sex offender and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

However, the former UFC champion defied that ban on Sunday when he attended the Fan Fest at the nearby Ellipse in Washington DC. 

His shock appearance received a frosty reception from the MAGA-loyal MMA fans in attendance who stormed towards the ring where he stood, immediately jeering and booing. 

Strickland was then kicked out of the event, escorted away by Secret Service agents to chants of ‘USA’ from the crowd. 

‘UFC at the White House with [Netanyahu] in the audience. Straight slop,’ Strickland, the MMA promotion’s undisputed middleweight champion wrote on Instagram last week. 

Strickland was wearing a black anorak jacket and was barefoot. It wasn’t immediately clear why law enforcement led him away.

White has rejected Strickland’s accusation that he was banned from UFC Freedom 250 events.

“Nobody is banned. Nothing is banned,” White told reporters earlier this month.

There will be two title fights taking place on Paramount’s premium streaming service, Paramount+: Brazil’s Alex Pereira against France’s Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title and Spanish-Georgian lightweight champion Ilia Topuria against interim champ, American Justin Gaethje.

The night’s other bouts include recent challengers Michael Chandler, Derrick Lewis and former 135-pound champion Sean O’Malley.

The bout represents another in the long history between White and Trump, who began hosting the MMA promotion’s events at the since-shuttered Trump Taj Mahal back in 2001.

Since then, White has introduced Trump at three separate Republican National Conventions and was even present at the recent White House Correspondents’ Association dinner that was interrupted by an attempted assassin.

Many UFC fighters have professed their love and admiration for Trump, including Jon Jones, Colby Covington, Conor McGregor and Gaethje.