Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was admitted to a hospital Sunday morning, according to his office, marking the latest health-related setback for the 84-year-old Kentucky senator as he prepares to leave public office.
“Senator McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning. He is receiving excellent care,” a spokesperson said in a brief statement. The senator’s office has not disclosed the reason for his hospitalization or provided details about his condition.
McConnell’s hospitalization comes just four months after he spent more than a week in the hospital for what aides described at the time as “flu-like symptoms.” His office later said he had been discharged and was recovering while working from home.
The Kentucky Republican has faced a series of highly publicized health challenges in recent years, including a concussion and broken ribs after a 2023 fall, multiple additional falls, and several incidents in which he appeared to freeze during public appearances. McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, has also acknowledged mobility issues and has at times used a wheelchair at the Capitol.
Despite those concerns, McConnell has remained active in the Senate and continues serving out his seventh term. He announced last year that he would not seek reelection and plans to retire when his term expires in January.
President Donald Trump got exactly what he wanted for his 80th birthday Sunday: a peace deal with Iran — and a massive UFC event on the White House lawn to celebrate it.
After weeks of promising that an agreement was just around the corner, Trump announced Sunday afternoon that the United States and Iran had finalized a deal to end the 108-day conflict that erupted after the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury and killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!” Trump declared on Truth Social.
The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start… pic.twitter.com/5LQ0y03Wbg
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) June 14, 2026
The president initially announced that he was authorizing the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and ending the U.S. naval blockade, telling the world: “Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow!”
Less than an hour later, Trump clarified that the strategic waterway would officially reopen Friday after the agreement is signed, allowing time for mine-clearing operations.
“This Great Deal will bring Peace and Security to the whole Region,” Trump wrote. “Many presidents have tried to make Peace with Iran, and all have failed before me.”
The timing could not have been sweeter for Trump, who spent the day celebrating his milestone birthday while hosting the highly publicized “Freedom 250” UFC event on the White House grounds.
According to Mediaite, the president had hoped to announce the agreement Sunday, but those plans nearly unraveled after Hezbollah launched projectiles into northern Israel, prompting retaliatory Israeli strikes in Beirut.
Trump reportedly exploded behind the scenes when he learned of the Israeli response.
“Why did Bibi have to do a f’ing attack?” Trump told Axios. “I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no f’ing judgement.”
The flare-up threatened to derail negotiations that Trump had repeatedly insisted were nearing completion. As Mediaite noted, the president has spent weeks predicting that a deal was imminent, at one point declaring in May that an announcement would come “shortly.”
The Hill reported that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate negotiations, announced that a formal signing ceremony will take place Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. Vice President JD Vance later told Fox News that he plans to attend and suggested Trump may join him.
Reports indicated the deal specifically says that Iran would agree not to produce or acquire nuclear weapons and would halt further uranium enrichment and expansion of nuclear facilities. In exchange, the United States would begin releasing up to $25 billion in frozen Iranian assets, although details remain unclear and administration officials have described the arrangement as “performance-based.”
Iran has not yet publicly confirmed the agreement, and the White House has released few specifics about the final terms.
Still, the announcement marks a dramatic political victory for Trump, whose administration has repeatedly stated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was its primary objective.
“They’ve taken a pounding,” Trump said last week while discussing renewed military pressure on Tehran. “They’ve taken a pounding like very few people could take. And they want to make a deal a lot more than I do.”
The agreement is already drawing scrutiny on Capitol Hill.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday that any nuclear-related agreement with Iran should be submitted to Congress for review.
“I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming,” Graham wrote on X.
I am pleased to hear the memorandum of understanding with Iran to allow the Strait of Hormuz to open has been agreed to. I will be watching closely the ensuing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program and other matters.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) welcomed the prospect of peace while arguing the reported terms resemble the Obama-era nuclear agreement that Trump withdrew from during his first term.
“The war was a costly lesson for the US,” Khanna wrote. “But today, we can be relieved that gas and food costs will start coming down for Americans. And that no more American or civilian lives will be lost.”
The ceasefire agreement with Iran with the opening of the Strait of Hormuz is welcome news. Democrats should support it. I am glad it includes a provision for mutual respect of the US & Iran's sovereignty so we do not launch a dumb war of choice again.
After months of war, weeks of tense negotiations, and a last-minute scare involving Israel and Hezbollah, the president finally got to make the announcement he had been teasing for weeks — on his birthday, with a UFC crowd cheering just steps from the Oval Office.
A veteran Republican senator who was just driven from office by President Donald Trump’s political machine is now warning that the president may soon regret it.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who lost his Republican Senate primary runoff to Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is predicting that Republicans could face major trouble in the 2026 midterm elections — and that Trump himself will suffer the consequences.
In an interview with The New York Times, Cornyn said he believes the president is setting himself up for what could become “the most miserable two years of his life” if Republicans lose ground in Congress next November.
“I think November is going to be a disaster,” Cornyn told the newspaper. “He’s going to have the most miserable two years of his life in the last two years of his term.”
The warning comes just weeks after Paxton delivered a crushing defeat to Cornyn in the Texas GOP runoff, ending the senator’s more than two-decade Senate career. Trump endorsed Paxton late in the race, helping push the controversial attorney general to victory over one of the most senior Republicans in Washington.
Cornyn admitted he believed Trump might stay neutral in the contest.
“I had really thought that we’d gone on so long with no endorsement that he was just going to stay out of it,” Cornyn told the Times. “But he couldn’t resist.”
The outgoing senator also suggested Trump’s treatment of him revealed a broader problem inside today’s Republican Party.
“If he would do that to me, he would do that to anybody,” Cornyn said. “There’s never going to be good enough for him, other than 100 percent, slavish adherence to whatever he wants.”
Cornyn argued that such demands run counter to the constitutional role of senators, who are supposed to provide checks and balances rather than unquestioning loyalty to any president.
The comments mark one of the sharpest public rebukes Trump has received from a longtime Republican ally. Despite occasional disagreements, Cornyn voted with Trump’s agenda at an exceptionally high rate during the president’s first term and was widely viewed as part of Senate Republican leadership’s institutional wing.
Trump nevertheless sided with Paxton, whom he praised as a loyal supporter of both himself and the MAGA movement. Following the runoff, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Cornyn would remain his friend and that Republicans would soon see Paxton become “a fantastic, common sense Senator.”
Cornyn was not impressed.
“If that’s the way friends treat you, you wonder about his enemies,” he remarked.
A Growing Republican Concern
Cornyn’s warning reflects concerns that have quietly surfaced among some Republicans since Paxton’s victory.
Several GOP senators and strategists argued before the runoff that replacing Cornyn with Paxton could complicate Republican efforts to hold the seat in November. Paxton carries years of political baggage, including impeachment proceedings in Texas and numerous ethics controversies that Democrats are expected to spotlight during the general election campaign.
According to reporting from Semafor, some Republican senators privately worried that Trump’s endorsement would make the Texas race significantly more expensive and difficult to defend, forcing the GOP to divert resources from other key battlegrounds.
TIME magazine similarly reported that establishment Republicans viewed Cornyn as a safer candidate and feared Trump’s intervention could create an opening for Democrats in a state that has remained reliably Republican for decades.
ABC News noted that Cornyn’s loss joins a growing list of Republican officials whose conservative credentials proved insufficient after falling out of favor with Trump.
Looking Ahead To 2026
Cornyn’s prediction comes as both parties begin looking toward the 2026 midterms, when control of Congress will once again be on the line.
Historically, the president’s party often loses seats during midterm elections, particularly during a second term. Should Republicans suffer significant losses in either chamber, Trump could find himself facing congressional investigations, legislative gridlock, and renewed political battles during the final two years of his presidency.
For now, however, Trump’s grip on the Republican base remains strong enough to reshape the party even against the wishes of many of its elected leaders.
Cornyn’s defeat may ultimately become one of the clearest examples yet of that reality.
The question now is whether his warning about a coming Republican “disaster” proves prophetic — or whether Trump’s political dominance continues carrying the GOP through another election cycle.
A federal judge on Friday issued an injunction preventing the Trump administration from moving forward with its proposed $1.8 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” citing concerns that administration officials have not formally committed to abandoning the initiative.
According to ABC News, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema questioned why Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has not provided a sworn statement confirming that the Department of Justice will not establish the fund. During a court hearing, Brinkema repeatedly emphasized that Blanche’s refusal to make such a commitment under penalty of perjury left a significant gap in the government’s position.
The fund was announced by the Department of Justice last month and was intended to compensate individuals who claim they were improperly targeted by the Biden administration. Critics have argued that the proposal could result in taxpayer funds being used to compensate some individuals charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Brinkema pointed to recent comments by President Donald Trump that appeared to support compensation for Jan. 6 defendants. In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press that aired earlier this month, Trump said, “If it was up to me, I’d pay them the kind of money that they deserve. People have been destroyed. Lives have been destroyed.”
The proposed fund was part of a settlement arrangement under which Trump agreed to drop a $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, along with two separate civil claims totaling approximately $230 million related to the Russia investigation and the 2022 FBI search of his Mar-a-Lago residence. The arrangement sparked bipartisan criticism and allegations of self-dealing.
Justice Department attorneys have argued that the lawsuit challenging the fund is now moot because the government does not intend to move forward with the program. However, during Friday’s hearing, Brinkema repeatedly pressed DOJ attorney Andrew Block about why Blanche had not rescinded the order establishing the fund.
When asked whether he knew why Blanche had not withdrawn the directive, Block responded that he did not and could not speak on the acting attorney general’s behalf.
Brinkema expressed frustration with that response, stating that the government’s unwillingness to provide a definitive answer created a “huge gap in the record.” She added that issuing an injunction would cause no apparent harm to the government if officials truly had no intention of implementing the fund.
The judge gave the administration one week to submit a formal declaration, signed under penalty of perjury, stating that the Anti-Weaponization Fund will not be established. Brinkema indicated that such a filing could pave the way for the case to be dismissed.
Throughout the hearing, Brinkema cited Trump’s recent public statements regarding the fund, including criticism directed at her after she temporarily halted the initiative earlier this month. Trump referred to Brinkema as a “radical left judge” following that decision.
“When the president of the United States says he’s disappointed that something is not going forward,” Brinkema said, it raises concerns that the proposal could return in the future.
The judge also revealed that an individual had recently submitted an application seeking compensation from the proposed fund directly to the court, underscoring public confusion surrounding the initiative.
“We had to send it back,” Brinkema said.
Brinkema additionally questioned the legality of the settlement arrangement that created the fund, referencing a recent order from a federal judge in Florida requiring Trump’s attorneys to respond to allegations that they may have misled the court.
At one point during the proceedings, Brinkema cited an amicus brief filed by Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) urging the court to permanently block the fund because of concerns that it could benefit individuals involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
According to ABC News, Brinkema said the filing demonstrated strong public interest in preventing the fund’s creation and questioned whether nearly $1.8 billion should be directed toward a relatively small group of individuals whose compensation would be opposed by many Americans.
The injunction will remain in place while the administration decides whether to provide the sworn assurances requested by the court.
Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson is pushing a fresh conspiracy theory about the attempted assassination of President Trump — claiming the president himself ordered federal investigators to back off the probe into the July 2024 shooting in Butler, Pa.
Carlson made the explosive allegation during an appearance on Thursday on entrepreneur Mario Nawfal’s show, where he recounted what he described as a series of conversations with former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel regarding lingering questions surrounding the attack.
The claim was quickly shot down by Bongino, who publicly denied Carlson’s account on Friday and blasted the former cable news host as a “nepo baby.”
“I know that, about Butler, I know that Trump shut down the investigation into Butler. That is a fact,” Carlson told Nawfal. “Dan Bongino told me that when he worked at the FBI.”
Carlson alleged Bongino became visibly rattled after Carlson confronted him about social media posts purportedly written by gunman Thomas Crooks that Carlson claims the FBI falsely said did not exist.
“Dan Bongino himself was terrified when I spoke to him in December,” Carlson said.
The conservative commentator claimed he had “accidentally came into possession” of social media posts allegedly authored by Crooks in the months and years before the shooting. Carlson said he contacted both Patel and Bongino seeking answers about why the FBI had allegedly concealed their existence.
“And Dan Bongino became hysterical with me on the phone,” Carlson claimed. “I’ve known Dan a long time for many years and always gotten along with him.”
“He was clearly terrified. I didn’t get it at first, but he was hysterical,” Carlson continued. “And ultimately, after a long series of text exchanges, which I still have, and phone conversations, he said, ‘Look, take it up with Trump. He’s the one who shut down the investigation.’”
Carlson said the alleged exchange occurred during the second week of December and left him questioning why Trump would halt an investigation into an attempt on his own life.
“That was the moment and I realized, ‘Oh wow, there’s no good explanation for shutting down an investigation into your own attempted murder,’” Carlson said.
Watch:
Crooks, 20, opened fire during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, grazing Trump’s ear, killing rally attendee Corey Comperatore and seriously wounding two others before Secret Service snipers fatally shot him.
Authorities have said Crooks acted alone and have found no evidence linking him to a broader plot. However, the absence of a clear manifesto or publicly known motive has fueled persistent conspiracy theories online.
Carlson, once one of Trump’s most influential media allies, has increasingly broken with the president in recent months. He has repeatedly criticized Trump over the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and U.S. involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Earlier this year, Carlson suggested Trump’s worldview changed after the Butler shooting.
“He spent his campaign in the 2024 race arguing against regime change war, attacking people in favor of it — and then he launched it,” Carlson said on his own show. “And not just launched it, but became this kind of enthusiastic tool of the government of Israel.”
Bongino forcefully rejected Carlson’s latest allegations Friday morning in a post on X, denying he ever told Carlson that Trump shut down the Butler investigation.
More receipts incoming on my show today that the nepo baby is lying again. He’s like Teddy Ruxpin, you put a coin in his back and he tells you a story. https://t.co/ZH22reLjcn
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has canceled planned U.S. military strikes against Iran just hours before they were reportedly set to begin, citing what he described as a major diplomatic breakthrough.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said negotiations with the Islamic Republic had been elevated to “the highest level of Iranian leadership” and had received approval from key regional powers.
“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump wrote.
The announcement comes after a volatile 48-hour period that saw U.S. forces conduct strikes against Iranian targets on Tuesday and Wednesday, while Trump repeatedly warned that additional military action could follow as soon as Thursday night.
According to Trump, negotiators have reached an agreement “in both concept and great detail” on a framework that has been approved by multiple nations, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt.
The president did not disclose specific terms of the proposed agreement but suggested a final accord could be signed in the near future.
“Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly,” Trump said.
Despite calling off the planned strikes, Trump emphasized that U.S. pressure on Iran is far from over. He announced that the naval blockade imposed in April will remain in place until an agreement is finalized.
“The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized,” he wrote.
The sudden reversal marks a dramatic shift from Trump’s earlier rhetoric. Just hours before announcing the cancellation, the president had threatened another round of military strikes against Iran, raising fears that the region was on the verge of a broader conflict.
President Donald Trump gestures to the crowd after delivering remarks at the House GOP Member Retreat, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at the Donald J. Trump- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
On Thursday, President Donald Trump said that he is nominating Jay Clayton to become the next permanent Director of National Intelligence.
BREAKING: President Trump announced the nomination of Jay Clayton, the current U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former SEC chairman, to serve as the next Director of National Intelligence. pic.twitter.com/VNPy8seoYk
Clayton is a longtime Trump ally who served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term from 2017 to 2020. Trump has repeatedly praised Clayton’s tenure and later tapped him for other high-profile roles, including U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Clayton’s nomination comes just weeks after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard announced her resignation, citing her husband’s diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer and saying she would leave government service to support his treatment and recovery. Gabbard’s resignation was scheduled to take effect June 30.
By The White House - https://www.flickr.com/photos/202101414@N05/54346096651/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=160407812
Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and his wife, Katie Miller, have welcomed their fourth child, adding another member to one of the most prominent families in the Trump administration.
While details surrounding the birth have remained private, congratulations quickly poured in from friends, colleagues, and supporters celebrating the newest addition to the Miller family.
With four children now keeping the household busy, Miller may find that negotiating Capitol Hill is easier than negotiating bedtime.
The news also comes during what seems to be an ongoing White House baby boom.
Just last month, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt welcomed her second child, daughter Viviana “Vivi” Riccio, with husband Nicholas Riccio. Leavitt announced the joyful arrival on social media, sharing that her family’s hearts had “instantly exploded with love” after welcoming their baby girl.
Leavitt’s son, Niko, was promoted to big brother, while the youngest press secretary in American history has temporarily stepped away from the briefing room to enjoy life in the newborn bubble.
Now, the Miller family is celebrating a similar milestone.
For all the attention Washington places on politics, moments like these offer a reminder that many of the administration’s most recognizable faces are also parents juggling diapers, school schedules, and family responsibilities alongside their public duties.
In fact, supporters have increasingly noted that President Trump’s team includes a number of young families raising children while serving in high-pressure government roles. Whether it’s Leavitt balancing motherhood and press briefings or the Millers welcoming their fourth child, family life remains a central part of the Trump administration’s story.
As the Miller family settles into life with its newest member, supporters across the country are sending their congratulations and best wishes.
From all of us, congratulations to Stephen and Katie Miller on their newest blessing.
Vice President JD Vance’s chief of staff, Jacob Reses, is expected to leave the Trump administration at the end of the summer, according to a report from NBC News.
Reses, one of Vance’s closest and longest-serving political advisers, has served as chief of staff since President Donald Trump and Vance took office in January 2025. According to NBC News, Reses informed Vance of his plans several months ago after learning that his wife was pregnant with their first child.
His next professional move has not yet been publicly disclosed.
“Jacob’s been by my side for my whole career in public life,” Vance said in a statement first shared with NBC News. “I can’t imagine having been on this life-changing journey without him. From day one of my time as a Senator-elect, I could not have asked for a more loyal and discerning advisor and friend as my chief of staff. I’ll miss him dearly, but he won’t be far, and I plan to keep his counsel close until our paths cross again.”
The departure marks a significant change inside the vice president’s office. Reses has been one of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in Vance’s political rise, helping guide his successful 2022 Senate campaign in Ohio before remaining at his side during Vance’s ascent to the vice presidency.
Prior to joining Vance’s team, Reses worked for Heritage Action, the advocacy arm affiliated with the conservative Heritage Foundation, and later served on the staff of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). He became a familiar presence during the 2024 presidential campaign after Trump selected Vance as his running mate, frequently accompanying the vice president on the campaign trail.
NBC News reported that Reses developed strong relationships throughout the administration and earned praise from senior White House officials and Cabinet members.
“Jacob has been an important part of our White House leadership team and has served the Vice President with absolute distinction,” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told NBC News. “From diplomacy and war, to complicated matters, to the most minute logistics, there has been no task too big or too small for him to tackle.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Reses’ “intellect, leadership, and humor,” while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described him as “invaluable” in advancing the administration’s economic agenda. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche called Reses “tough, smart, hardworking, and loyal — the perfect combination to succeed in the Trump White House.”
Trump administration special envoy Steve Witkoff also highlighted Reses’ role in several high-profile diplomatic efforts.
“Don’t let Jacob fool you — beneath his kind exterior he’s a killer,” Witkoff told NBC News. “It’s been a delight to get to know him through the Vice President, and our foreign adventures from Israel to Pakistan have been historic.”
Reses’ departure comes amid broader personnel changes within the vice president’s office. NBC News noted that Vance has already cycled through two deputy chiefs of staff since taking office, while top legal adviser Sean Cooksey departed earlier this year to join a lobbying and public affairs firm.
Despite the planned exit, sources close to Vance told NBC News that Reses is expected to remain closely connected to the vice president and could potentially return to the office in some capacity in the future.
As Vance continues to emerge as one of the most prominent figures in the Republican Party — and a potential contender for the 2028 presidential nomination — the loss of one of his most trusted advisers will be closely watched both inside the administration and among conservative political circles.
The Trump administration is urging a federal judge to reject a last-minute lawsuit seeking to block this weekend’s Ultimate Fighting Championship event on the White House South Lawn, arguing that preparations are too far advanced to stop the highly publicized spectacle.
In a court filing submitted Tuesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the court to deny a request for a temporary restraining order filed by two Virginia residents who are challenging the legality of the event. According to the filing, planning for the UFC card has been underway since President Donald Trump announced it last year, with more than $60 million already invested and thousands of spectators expected to attend.
“All these hopes could be dashed at the very last moment, however, by the whim of two people who believe they have superior taste and want to spoil the event for everyone else,” DOJ attorneys wrote in the filing, according to The Hill.
The lawsuit was brought by retired Air Force Sgt. Paul Romano and political activist Susan Douglas, represented by the Public Integrity Project. The plaintiffs argue that federal agencies failed to comply with environmental review requirements and did not obtain congressional approval for structures associated with the event, including a temporary 92-foot-tall arch known as “The Claw” that is being erected on White House grounds.
The complaint also contends that the event improperly uses federal property for a private, commercial enterprise and alleges that the administration is using America’s 250th anniversary celebration as a pretext to bypass normal permitting requirements.
The administration has rejected those claims, arguing that the UFC event is an official component of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations and therefore does not require a traditional permit. DOJ attorneys further argued that the plaintiffs lack standing and are unlikely to succeed on the merits of their case.
“It would be easy enough to simply avert their gazes for the weekend,” the DOJ filing stated. “Instead, they seek to enlist the power of a federal court to impose their idiosyncratic preferences on the rest of the country and ruin an event designed to celebrate the United States of America.”
The event, dubbed “UFC Freedom 250,” is scheduled for Saturday on the South Lawn and coincides with Flag Day, President Trump’s 80th birthday, and broader America 250 celebrations. Organizers plan to host six prime-time bouts inside a temporary Octagon constructed on White House grounds, while ceremonial weigh-ins are scheduled to take place at the Lincoln Memorial.
According to court filings, the administration expects attendance in the thousands, while tens of thousands more spectators are expected to gather in surrounding areas. Construction crews have already begun assembling the temporary venue.
The White House has described the event as one of the centerpiece attractions of the America 250 celebration. President Trump recently told reporters that interest in the UFC card has surpassed any other event held during his presidency.
“I’ve been involved in a lot of big events. I have never had an event that has had more interest than the UFC fight we have right at the front door,” Trump said during remarks in the Oval Office.
Trump has maintained a longstanding friendship with UFC President and CEO Dana White, who has been a prominent supporter of the president and frequently appears at political events. Trump has also attended numerous UFC events during both his first and second terms in office.
A federal judge has not yet ruled on the plaintiffs’ request to halt the event, but with the fights scheduled to begin this weekend, the administration is pressing for a swift dismissal of the challenge.
