US judge asked to stop Trump plan for UFC event at White House

WASHINGTON: A federal judge in Washington has been asked to block President Donald Trump’s plan to stage an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House next week and to stop work on a metal arena structure, known as the Claw, on the South Lawn.

According to a court filing submitted on Sunday, two residents from the Washington area requested that US District Judge Amit Mehta issue a temporary restraining order against the event, which is scheduled for June 14 to coincide with Trump’s 80th birthday. On Monday, Mehta instructed lawyers involved in the case to suggest a timetable for hearing the emergency application.

The planned event, billed as UFC Freedom 250, is due to feature bouts inside a 92-foot-tall octagon-shaped cage, while weigh-ins are set to take place at the Lincoln Memorial.

The underlying lawsuit, filed on Saturday, says approval for the programme by the National Park Service and the Interior Department was unlawful and should be overturned. The plaintiffs argued that the event breaches rules that prohibit sporting contests on the South Lawn and at the Lincoln Memorial, and they also contend that construction of the large arena structure required congressional approval.

The plaintiffs said the case concerns the use of nationally significant public sites for a private event.

“This nation’s public monuments should not be loaned out for private exploitation,” the plaintiffs said.

In response, the White House described the legal challenge as an obstructionist effort without merit and said the proposed event was comparable to other activities hosted on the South Lawn as well as properly permitted events held on the Ellipse and the National Mall during the year.

“obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit”

“is no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year.”

The case adds to a series of legal disputes tied to construction plans associated with Trump in Washington. These include his proposal for a 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the site of the demolished East Wing and a separate plan involving renovation and closure of the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts.