At a time of historical political polarization, many hoped America’s 250th anniversary would be a unique opportunity to celebrate the things that bring us together rather than what sets us apart. However, President Trump’s announcement of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight on the White House lawn and other similarly divisive events have instead led to further schisms.
Announced early in Trump’s presidency, the UFC event has elicited mixed reactions. This seemingly odd announcement follows Trump’s long standing relationship with the UFC CEO, Dana White, dating back to 2001 when he hosted two UFC events in his casino, at a time when UFC was banned in over 36 states.
With a 5,000 person limit, the audience is expected to be mostly made up of high-profile figures such as tech billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, and many hardcore UFC fans are feeling sidelined. To try to compensate for this, the UFC will host an 85,000 person watch party on the Ellipse, the park across the street from the White House.
The logistics behind the event have been equally contentious with the UFC CEO White revealing that it will cost over $700,000 to prepare the south lawn.
The event will be held on President Trump’s birthday, June 14th, conflicting with the original date of the G7 Summit, which has been postponed to ensure Trump’s attendance.
The Capital Pride Parade, which has been held on the second weekend of June for over a decade, has been rescheduled.
Additionally, President Trump has announced the Patriot Games, which he describes as a “four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes, one young man and one young woman, from each state and territory.”
A lack of information over athlete selection, or even a date, has led to mockery by critics, with California Governor Gavin Newsom sharing a clip of The Hunger Games’ President Snow, comparing it to Trump’s announcement of the games.
From $700,000 lawn replacements to Hunger Games’ comparisons, it is fair to say that America’s semiquincentennial marks a shift from nonpartisan celebrations of national unity to a commercialized spectacle, funded by a combination of taxpayer money and generous donations from America’s elites. For better or worse, one thing is for sure: America’s 250th anniversary will be one to remember. •