UFC at the White House Lawn and IndyCar on the Mall ignite National Park friction

Trump plans to stage UFC fights on the White House South Lawn and IndyCar races on the National Mall as part of the Freedom 250 celebration, coordinated by the National Park Foundation. The proposal draws intense criticism from park advocates who warn it hijacks National Park Service land and contradicts the agency’s mission, even as the White House defends the events as patriotic and popular. Critics also flag ongoing Park Service budget and staff cuts and concerns about privatization and branding of public lands.