Bill Maher slams ‘redneck’ Trump over UFC fight: ‘The emperor is holding gladiator games on his birthday’

Bill Maher slams ‘redneck’ Trump over UFC fight: ‘The emperor is holding gladiator games on his birthday’ Trump’s birthday bash includes a massive MMA event on the south lawn of the White House - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Bill Maher didn’t hold back while discussing Donald Trump’s birthday plans. During Friday night’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, the host took aim at Trump ahead of Sunday’s planned Ultimate Fighting Championship match; a joint celebration of Trump’s birthday and America’s 250th anniversary. “Our redneck president is turning 80. And to celebrate, there is a UFC fight on the lawn,” he said before quipping, “So the emperor is holding gladiator games on his birthday. Nothing to see here. I wouldn’t think about it too much. Don’t worry about it. ”Hopefully the big fight will also serve as a celebration for a peace deal with Iran, which the president says is imminent. But he says that every week. They counted now; he has said it 38 times,” Maher continued. Maher continued to jab at Trump’s repeated talks with Iran, saying, “It started with, ‘We have a peace deal.’ And then by the end, ‘We’re gonna hit them very hard,’ all caps, ‘Very hard, we’re gonna hit them.’ And he thought about it, with himself, and went back to peace.” He concluded: “Do we even really need Iran in this war? I mean, really, do we? Every time they pipe up, he says, ‘Who asked you? Stay out of it.’” Maher’s jabs come just hours before the UFC fight is slated to take place. A hulking superstructure is taking over the White House lawn for Sunday’s fight, coinciding with the president’s 80th birthday and marking the first-ever private sports event held there. Crews have finished installing a 92-foot-tall “Claw” above the octagon-shaped stage for UFC’s Freedom 250, surrounded by arena-style seating and plastered with brand names and company logos, including Polymarket and Bud Light. The event — in tandem with a White House-backed celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary — will hold more than 4,000 people, and a nearby park is expected to hold more than 120,000 visitors for a watch party. However, a federal lawsuit threatened to derail the event before it started. The last-minute filing accused the administration of giving the UFC “unfettered access” to turn public landmarks into profitable billboards. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled. ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. UFC committed $60 million to the event, according to court documents. The event is expected to draw multi-million dollar sponsorships as well as revenue through a broadcast agreement with Paramount+, a streaming platform operated by Trump allies. White House officials say the UFC is covering costs for the unprecedented production, but several federal agencies have “allocated significant resources and manpower,” officials say. On top of that, forecasted rain may wash out the event entirely. Follow The Independent’s live coverage of the UFC fight here. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments