Even Republicans think it’s not ‘appropriate’ for Trump to host a UFC fight at the White House

Even Republicans think it’s not ‘appropriate’ for Trump to host a UFC fight at the White House The fight at the White House is set for Sunday, but a legal challenge could yet derail the event - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Americans largely don’t support the Trump administration’s plan to host a UFC fight at the White House on Sunday, including a notable slice of the president’s Republican base, according to a new survey. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that just 16 percent of respondents think it’s appropriate, while 46 percent said the bout was inappropriate. Just 31 percent of Republicans thought the event was appropriate, and Democrats joined them in their skepticism, with just five percent backing the fight. The negative mood around the UFC cage match echoes a larger dissatisfaction about the administration and the direction of the country. In a Reuters survey released Monday, 70 percent of respondents said they disapprove of Trump’s handling of cost-of-living issues, up from 63 percent at the end of the inflation-plagued Biden administration. Meanwhile, in a separate The Economist/YouGov poll, just 29 percent of Americans said they strongly or somewhat approve of how Trump is handling the economy. Trump’s net approval rating on the issue is negative 34 percent — the lowest of both of his presidential terms so far, the poll found. The UFC fight, part of a string of public events and projects for America’s 250th anniversary celebration, comes as Americans have less of a sense of American exceptionalism and less of an emphasis on the importance of democracy, a recent AP-NORC poll found. The country is far more pessimistic about the future than it was at the time of the nation’s bicentennial in 1976. In 2026, 41 percent of Americans said they were “generally pessimistic” about the future of the country, up from 15 percent during the previous milestone. When Fox News recently asked Americans to name a word that describes the country today, two-thirds chose a negative term such as “failing," "divided," "struggling," or "corrupt,” with Democrats nearly twice as likely as Republicans to choose a downbeat word. Preparations are nearly complete for the Sunday mixed martial arts fight, which coincides with the president’s 80th birthday. The UFC is putting the finishing touches on a massive arena and lighting grid dubbed “The Claw” on the White House lawn. A federal lawsuit is seeking to stop the fight, alleging it represents a “volcano of corruption” for a commercial sports league and corporate sponsors to use the White House for a televised spectacle. The UFC, led by Trump ally Dana White, says it is paying for the $60 million event, which is sponsored by companies including Polymarket, of which Donald Trump Jr. is an adviser. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments