Trump says may leave UFC arena on White House lawn permanently
The US president compared the structure to France’s Eiffel Tower, which was supposed to have been dismantled 20 years after it was built
US President Donald Trump suggested he might keep the Ultimate Fighting Championship cage-fighting arena being built on the lawn of the White House as a permanent fixture.
The Republican compared the structure, which is being built for a night of cage fighting to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence – on Trump’s 80th birthday – to France’s Eiffel Tower which was supposed to have been dismantled 20 years after it was built in 1889.
“We’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people,” said a smiling Trump in a TikTok video on Tuesday.
“It’s gonna have the big UFC fight on June 14 … maybe we’ll never ever take it down.”
It was unclear whether Trump, who has gained a reputation for breaking White House norms, was teasing a plan that is under consideration or simply joking on the short video platform, which is popular among younger people.