President Trump’s Mockery of the White House on Full Display. Confession: I loved parts of it.

Despite a senseless and distasteful remark from Hokit, the event was a clear attempt at patriotism.

Let me get this out of the way before the common accusations come in. I am a Veteran. I proudly served in the US Army for 8 years. I love my country. I often view that love similar to the way I love my family. Is every member/citizen perfect? No. Do we agree on what’s best for the family/Country? Rarely. Would I want to be in any other family in the world? Absolutely not.

With that out of the way, let’s set the stage (Sponsored by Monster Energy);

President Trump and Dana White joined forces Sunday evening, hosting UFC “Freedom” 250 on the White House Lawn. The event was billed as an Ultimate Fighter Competition to jointly celebrate the 250th Anniversary of America (which is technically on July 4th, 2026) and President Trump’s 80th Birthday. The event took place beneath a 92-foot structure, nicknamed “The Claw”, that served as the venue for 7 fights, all of which were determined by TKO.

Watching the spectacle on Paramount+, we saw AI generated reenactments of US conflicts, a National Anthem performance from The Zac Brown band, and various celebrities amongst the 4,000 attendees; including Shane Gillis, Mark Zuckerberg, Tony Hinchcliffe, and various right-wing politicians and family members of the President. Each fighter walked out to the stage from The White House, escorted by a Medal of Honor recipient and a first responder (Usually either a police officer or firefighter). In standard UFC fashion, at the conclusion of each fight, Joe Rogan interviewed the winner. Speaking of fashion, the internet immediately took note of Joe Rogan’s inability to properly tie a tie (It looked like he was wearing something from Baby Gap)

Let me explain how the next few paragraphs are going to go. I’m going to start with what I hated about the event. Then I’m going to explain what was good. Then I’m going to think of something sarcastic to end on, before telling you “Written by Seattle Mike”. I’m explaining this ahead of time, so you don’t think I’m just being a negative nancy for the next few lines before getting to the positives.

The event highlighted the clear lack of respect Donald Trump has for his own office. Having a massive, Monster/Budlight stage, mere yards away from The Oval Office felt like a slap in the face to every impossible decision previous presidents have had to face in that exact spot. We’re talking about the office where decisions are made about sending young men and women to war. That’s the office where peace deals are negotiated and signed. Yes, America is a capitalist society. Love it or hate it, that’s a fact. Covering the nation’s capital in Dodge, Budlight, and Monster ads might be fitting to some. To me, certain American landmarks should be honored and preserved. The White House is one of those landmarks. There’s no reason UFC “Freedom” 250 couldn’t have taken place anywhere else, and still celebrated American history. A nearby military base, professional sports arena, or Mar-a-lago all would have been more appropriate venues.

The most shameful part of the evening came when fighter Josh Hokit took the microphone from Joe Rogan during his postfight interview and declared “Michelle Obama is a man! Am I right, America?” A fighter feeling comfortable enough to disrespect a former First Lady of the United States, on the White House lawn, is the kind of behavior the President was inviting by hosting this event. For what it’s worth, Dana White condemned the moment in a text to TIME magazine, writing “I understand that the Obama’s are public figures but I’m completely against saying nasty and false things about people’s families. Everyone knows my position on free speech but I hate that kind of nonsense.” The White House has yet to publicly comment on the matter (They should have done so immediately).

Despite the senseless and distasteful remark from Hokit, the event was a clear attempt at patriotism. USA chants occurred throughout the night (I love that). Fighters spoke of their gratitude toward the country (I love that). Medal of Honor recipients were given some national attention (love that; though they should have walked in front of the fighters, not behind them). First responders, who are often underappreciated, were also given some national attention. I was a fan of that as well, though I wish they would have recognized at least one woman. Men aren’t the only ones putting their lives and sanity on the line to protect our communities.

The best part of the event was the flyover, where 12 fighter jets ripped through the sky above the south lawn in perfect formation. The moment even seemed to surprise Dana White who was smiling and laughing like a giant child at the epic sight (I would have too).

Here’s the real review of the event. Many Americans enjoyed it. I love that for them. They did nothing wrong by watching and cheering for programming they wanted to watch. Many Americans refused to watch because of who was hosting it. While many felt they were supporting their country by watching the event, there were others who felt they were supporting their country and community by boycotting it. Neither camp is wrong for that. The fighters, outside of Josh Hokit’s disgraceful remarks, also did nothing wrong. They were invited to compete. They accepted the challenge and gave us a hell of a show. I don’t recall ever seeing so many knockouts at the same UFC event before. For me, the vast majority of the disgrace falls on the President. It was his responsibility to preserve the honor and integrity of the White House. He failed.

But maybe that’s the real story. The event was ridiculous, entertaining, inspiring, and embarrassing all at the same time. In other words, a pretty accurate representation of American politics.

Written by Seattle Mike