The president compared it to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Donald Trump teases that White House UFC arena could be permanent

The president compared it to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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June 4, 2026 12:04 a.m. ET

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks from the White House on June 3. Credit:

Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty

- President Donald Trump said on TikTok that the UFC arena under construction on the White House lawn is "quite attractive."

- He noted that the Eiffel Tower in Paris was initially expected to be temporary.

- The new structure will be the site of a fight set for June 14, Trump's 80th birthday.

President Donald Trump says that the UFC arena that's under construction on the White House lawn could be permanent.

“Many don't know that in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower — 1889 it was built — it was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World’s Fair," Trump said Tuesday on TikTok. "And then they said, 'You know, we sort of like it. Let's leave it up a little bit longer,' and then they said, 'Let's leave it up longer and longer and longer.' Well, they never took it down. And, you know, we're building something in front of the White House that's quite attractive to a lot of people. It's gonna have the big UFC fight on June 14. And I'm looking at it, and maybe we'll never, ever take it down."

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The Eiffel Tower was, in fact, built to serve as the entrance arch for the 1889 World's Fair, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. It was initially supposed to stand for 20 years, according to the monument's official website.

While demolition of the structure was considered, engineer and architect Gustave Eiffel, "pushed, financed and promoted" scientific experiments such as telecommunications and weather observations. "The scientific uses of the world's highest tower undoubtedly saved it from destruction."

Construction of the UFC arena at the White House.

SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty

Eiffel's contract for the structure was renewed for 70 years in 1910.

Trump has said that the finished UFC arena — to be used for a fight on his 80th birthday — will have an occupancy of 4,000 people. There will be room for another 75,000 to 100,000 people to watch from the Ellipse, he said, per the *New York Times*.

The planned bout is part of the Freedom 250 event meant to celebrate America's 250th anniversary, the same event as the concert series several performers have dropped out of in recent days. Artists including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, Morris Day and the Time, Young MC, and the Commodores, who had been named as acts taking the stage, said they would not take part after all.

Trump may perform at Freedom 250, suggests scrapping concert for MAGA rally after several performers drop out

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Trump said he was considering performing in their place.

"I understand artists are getting 'the yips' having to do with their performance on Wednesday, so I am thinking about bringing the number-one attraction anywhere in the world, the man who gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime, and he does so without a guitar," Trump said on Truth Social. "The man who loves our country more than anyone else, and the man who some say is the greatest president in history (THE GOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take the place of these highly paid, third-rate 'artists,' and give a major speech, rallying the country forward like I have done ever since being president!"

He later said his appearance to open the festivities will be a Make America Great Again rally.

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