Dana White has addressed speculation over whether the White House could stage another UFC event, and his answer made clear the historic card was meant to be a one-time spectacle.
On Sunday, June 14, President Donald Trump hosted UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn as part of celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary and his 80th birthday.
The event, which featured seven fights inside a specially built octagon, brought fighters, fans and a flyover display to one of the most unusual sports settings in U.S. history.
Trump took in the action cageside with White nearby, while the night also included patriotic pageantry and a large security and staging operation that reportedly pushed the production budget into the tens of millions of dollars.
After the event, White was asked if the promotion could ever return to the White House, especially after Trump previously suggested the octagon might remain there permanently.
“I’m always looking to go to great arenas with good technology, and give fans who show up the best experience I possibly can,” White said during a post-fight press conference.
He continued by making clear that, in his view, the show was a one-time occasion rather than the start of a new tradition.
“It was amazing experience, it was a one of one, that will never happen again, and for all of us that were involved it was a unique and cool experience.”
When asked again whether he truly meant another White House card would not happen, White gave a blunt reason.
“I can’t afford it,” he said, “There’s no f***ing way we can do this again, I’ll never do the Sphere again and we’ll never do this again.”
White’s comments came after months of talk that the White House event would be an extraordinary, and expensive, one-off built around America 250. UFC had already described the card as a landmark celebration, and reports ahead of the show put the total cost at around $60 million.
That answer did not go down well with everyone online, with some arguing the UFC is more than capable of repeating a similar production.
One person wrote: “Can’t afford it? Lol f*** off, the way you ain’t paying your fighters for ages you have the money.”
Another critic added: “You actually kidding me? Dude raked in millions from this circus.”
Still, some viewers backed White’s position and felt the setting should remain a one-off.
As a third wrote: “This isn’t going to happen again because it was a once in a lifetime.
“And honestly if we keep hosting UFC fights at the white house it would look tacky.”
The morning after the event, Trump posted on Truth Social and pointed out that the weather had turned out far better than expected.
“The weather was scheduled to be horrendous, and it turned out to be PERFECT!” Trump said.
He went on to call it ‘one of the most exciting days in the history of our fabled White House’.