Ahead of Donald Trump’s UFC-themed birthday celebration at the White House on Sunday, June 14, a new poll suggests many Americans are not on board with the idea.
Trump is turning 80 on the same day the White House is hosting UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn, a seven-bout mixed martial arts card tied to America’s 250th anniversary and Flag Day.
The event is scheduled to feature a temporary arena known as “the Claw,” along with a fan fest on the Ellipse and live coverage on Paramount+ and CBS.
But fresh polling from YouGov indicates that most Americans are unhappy with the plan.
More than 9,000 adults in the US were surveyed by the polling firm and asked:
“Do you approve or disapprove of the White House hosting a Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight as part of its Freedom 250 celebrations?”
According to the results, 40 percent said they
‘strongly disapprove’
of the proposal, while 11 percent said they
‘somewhat approve’.
The poll also showed that 12 percent
‘strongly approved’
of the UFC card, while 15 percent
‘somewhat approved’.
Another 22 percent of respondents said they were
‘not sure’
about the birthday celebration event.
That means 51 percent of adults surveyed said they disapproved, compared with 27 percent who approved.
Much of the opposition came from Democratic voters, although 43 percent of independents also said they
‘strongly disapprove’
of the planned fights.
Republican voters, meanwhile, were more likely to say they either
‘somewhat approved’
or
‘strongly approved’.
A separate Seton Hall Sports Poll released earlier in the week found Americans were also broadly skeptical about the optics of the spectacle: 46 percent said the UFC event would negatively impact the White House’s public image, while only 22 percent said it would have a positive effect.
The celebration is set to take place inside a temporary 4,500-seat arena on the South Lawn, with up to 85,000 additional spectators expected at the Ellipse for the public viewing area.