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Trump, Dana White's star-studded White House UFC event draws big names while several invited A-listers skip
By Christina Dugan Ramirez
Published June 15, 2026
From athletes and influencers to political allies and celebrities, President Donald Trump's highly anticipated White House UFC event drew a host of high-profile guests. Still, despite the star-studded crowd, several A-list celebrities reportedly invited to the event were notably absent.
Trump marked his 80th birthday Sunday night with a celebration on the South Lawn, where 14 fighters from around the world competed inside a wire-mesh cage during the UFC Freedom 250 spectacle.
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President Donald J. Trump and UFC President Dana White watch the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2026. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
The estimated 4,300 people in attendance, which included about 1,200 active-duty service members, greeted the president with loud cheers as the occasional "Happy Birthday" was shouted from the crowd.
The $60 million event kicked off with the Marine Band’s performance of the national anthem, sung by country star Zac Brown, and was capped off with a flyover by the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds.
Zac Brown and wife, Kendra, attend the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
In May, UFC President and CEO, Dana White, confirmed to Time magazine that he had extended invitations to major celebrities such as Adam Sandler, Guy Ritchie, Tom Brady, Jared Leto, Jason Statham, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Mario Lopez.
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While none of them attended, a handful of other celebrities did.
Jack Osbourne attended the event with his wife, Aree, and shared photos on Instagram.
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"Ultimate Date Night," he wrote in the caption.
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Comedians Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis were also in attendance, as well as Mark Zuckerberg, Joe Rogan, Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Barron Trump and others.
(L-R) President Donald J. Trump, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump attend the UFC Freedom 250 event. ( Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Comedians Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis were also among the crowd on Sunday night. (Getty Images)
During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" last week, Brown defended his decision to participate in the celebration.
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"Man, I’m there for the troops, man. I’m there to honor America, this is patriotism, not politics for me," Brown said. "I mean, screw every division. I don't believe in that. Adore this nation. I adore everyone who has made sacrifices to enable me to live the American dream, and I believe that everyone in this country has the opportunity to do so if they put in the necessary effort and make wise choices. Therefore, I don't think it belongs in politics."
Trump and White reportedly extended the invite to a handful of A-list celebrities. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Many of the fighters thanked Trump for having the "courage" to put on the spectacle, while the majority of victors jogged ringside to shake his hand or have a word after their respective bouts. The patriotic atmosphere set the tone for the remaining America 250 celebrations to come in Washington, D.C., later this summer.
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"It was beyond anything that anybody's ever seen in sports," the president briefly remarked to reporters as he departed the White House ahead of Monday’s G7 summit in France.
Fox News Digital's Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/trump-dana-whites-star-studded-white-house-ufc-event-draws-big-names-while-several-invited-a-listers-skip