President Donald Trump is suggesting that the UFC lighting grid, referred to as “The Claw,” will keep on the White House South Lawn nicely past the battle there later this month.
In a video on TikTok posted Tuesday, Trump in contrast the construction to the Eiffel Tower, which was supposed to be destroyed 20 years after its unique development.
“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, and then they said, ‘You know, we sorta like it, let’s leave it up a little bit longer.’ Well, they never took it down,” Trump stated.
“And, you know, we’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people,” he continued. “It’s going to have the big UFC fight on June 14, and I’m looking at it — and maybe we’ll never, ever take it down.”
It’s unclear if Trump was making the remark in jest or if he truly desires to maintain the huge construction, which is embellished just like the American flag and is taller than the White House. Both Trump himself and White House staffers often use social media to try to incite outrage amongst their critics.
Keeping the Claw could be an enormous trouble, logistically. Trump’s arrivals and departures on the South Lawn have been briefly halted, given the world the place the UFC battle will take place covers the place Marine One usually lands and departs. Instead, Trump has been motorcading to-and-from Joint Base Andrews for journeys on Air Force One. The South Lawn can be often used to host massive occasions.
But it wouldn’t be the primary time Trump bends typical apply to place his stamp on each the White House grounds and Washington, DC, extra broadly. He’s quickly made other controversial changes to the presidential home, together with demolishing the East Wing, paving the Rose Garden, gilding the Oval Office, redoing the storied Lincoln Bedroom lavatory and creating “The Presidential Walk of Fame,” that includes descriptions of previous presidents in Trump’s infamous Truth Social voice.
He’s additionally moved rapidly to alter elements of Washington within the title of the America 250 celebration, portray the underside of the Reflecting Pool in “American flag blue” and restoring fountains all through town.
UFC CEO Dana White was noticed strolling into the West Wing on Monday, about 24 hours earlier than the video was posted to Trump’s TikTok. UFC is paying for bills related to the hot-ticket occasion and the related development, an estimated value of about $60 million. White advised Sports Business Journal that UFC plans to pay $700,000 simply to re-sod the grass of the South Lawn, the place the “Claw,” viewers stands and the Octagon will sit.
“Because we’re going to f**k up the South Lawn, $700,000 just to replace the grass,” he stated.
The White House is closely selling the UFC occasion, which takes place on Flag Day and Trump’s eightieth birthday, together with posting a picture Wednesday of a jacked Uncle Sam on the White House X web page.