Lawsuit filed to block UFC fight at White House on Trump's 80th birthday

UFC Freedom 250, set to be held on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14 — Donald Trump's 80th birthday — is facing a lawsuit.

Two plaintiffs, political activist Susan Douglas and Vietnam War veteran Paul Romano, filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Washington on Saturday seeking to halt the event, The New York Times reported Sunday. The case was assigned to Judge Amit Mehta, who was appointed during the Barack Obama administration.

The plaintiffs argued that Trump has granted UFC CEO Dana White and his company privileges no one has ever enjoyed — including unrestricted access to the White House and the Lincoln Memorial to host a private, for-profit sporting event, along with all the promotional and brand exposure opportunities that come with it.

While the main event will be held at the White House, the official fighter weigh-in is scheduled to take place at the Lincoln Memorial.

The plaintiffs focused primarily on what they described as improper financial benefits stemming from the event.

Among the concerns they raised: reports that premium tickets are selling for more than $1 million; streaming fees to be collected by Paramount Skydance, the media company owned by Larry Ellison and David Ellison, who have close ties to Trump; and Trump's purchase in March of between $15,000 and $50,000 worth of shares in TKO Holdings Group, the parent company of UFC.

The plaintiffs also noted that the event is being held three weeks before the 250th anniversary of American independence. The complaint stated that the event "is not intended to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, and crucially, it is not an event planned, organized, or executed by the federal government."