Trump’s Involvement in Proposed UFC Event at the White House

UFC President Dana White recently shared that President Donald Trump has tasked certain people in his inner circle with organizing a possible UFC event at the White House.

During an appearance on “CBS Morning,” White spoke about a merger with CBS’s parent company, Paramount. This raised questions about hosting UFC events on the White House Grounds.

Reportedly, a tentative agreement was reached in early July for an event on federal property. Yet, at the same time, UFC plans to refresh some live broadcasts, with CBS hosts eager to confirm if the White House event will be included.

“You have to tune. That’s your destination,” White emphasized.

White assured, “It’s definitely going to happen,” when speaking to hosts Gale King, Tony Dokoupil, and Nate Burleson.

After expressing excitement about a new streaming deal, one host mentioned rumors that Trump’s close friend was designated to handle this event.

King inquired, “Word on the street is that Ivanka Trump is involved—true?”

White didn’t shy away from the question.

“When [Trump] called me to discuss it, he said, ‘I want Ivanka in the middle of this,’” White recounted.

According to him, Ivanka reached out, and they started brainstorming ideas together. “I put together all the renderings and the graphics,” he said.

White mentioned that he intends to present the full details to both Trump and Ivanka during their meeting at the end of August.

While the choice of Ivanka as a key organizer might seem unusual, she has shown her family’s interest in martial arts. For instance, she’s spoken about the benefits of Jiu-Jitsu, and even featured in a promotional video for a martial arts gym in Miami Beach earlier this year.

It’s still uncertain whether the event will be broadcast on CBS or via Paramount’s streaming service, Paramount+. However, White noted it would be significant to have the UFC featured live at the White House, especially with the upcoming 250th birthday celebrations in the U.S.

The UFC’s recent $7.7 billion deal with Paramount is significantly larger than a previous $1.6 billion deal between ESPN and WWE. Both the UFC and WWE are managed by TKO Group Holdings.

These new arrangements move away from the traditional pay-per-view model, allowing streaming service subscribers to access major events. Some events will still be available on conventional cable, like CBS and ESPN.

Reflecting on his career, White shared, “Sitting here today having this conversation is a notable milestone in both my career and sports history.”

Despite these changes, White maintained that pay-per-view remains “very alive.”

“With these streaming platforms, it clearly makes sense… Live sports have a certain urgency. You have to tune in; that’s the point,” he concluded.