The leading super PAC supporting President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a $1 million-per-person fundraiser Saturday in Northern Virginia, one day before Trump hosts a high-profile Ultimate Fighting Championship event on White House grounds as part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebration, NBC News reported Tuesday.
The fundraiser, benefiting MAGA Inc., will take place at Trump's golf club outside Washington, D.C., according to people familiar with the plans. The super PAC has raised $342 million during the current election cycle and is expected to play a significant role in financing Republican efforts in the November midterm elections.
Individuals familiar with both events said the fundraiser and UFC matches are being organized separately. However, some Trump supporters are expected to attend both.
One attendee who plans to participate in the fundraiser and attend the fights said the timing of the events appeared unlikely to be accidental, citing the overlap among major Republican donors.
The UFC event, scheduled on Trump’s 80th birthday, is expected to draw thousands of spectators to the White House South Lawn. The festivities will begin Saturday with a ceremonial weigh-in on the Ellipse, followed by a performance by the Zac Brown Band. The fights are scheduled to begin Sunday evening and continue past midnight.
Trump has repeatedly promoted the event, which will feature a specially constructed 92-foot-tall, 600-ton fighting venue on White House grounds.
"We are building something in front of the White House that's quite attractive to a lot of people," Trump told reporters.
The president's relationship with the UFC stretches back years. Trump maintains close ties with UFC President and CEO Dana White, one of his most visible political supporters, who has spoken on Trump’s behalf at Republican National Convention events.
Trump has attended multiple UFC events since returning to office and regularly appears alongside White at major fights.
Although admission to the White House event is free, NBC News reported that sponsorship packages, including cageside seats, have been marketed for $1 million or more.
A person familiar with the arrangements said sponsorship proceeds will help offset UFC's costs and that no money will go to Trump, his campaign operation, or his private businesses.
The event has nevertheless sparked legal opposition.
The Public Integrity Project filed a lawsuit Saturday seeking to block the fights, arguing that the White House is improperly being used for a commercial event that benefits a private company.
"This plan is deeply corrupt," the lawsuit states, alleging that UFC Freedom 250 is being organized by a company led by one of Trump's closest allies and could generate profits for UFC and its partners.
The White House dismissed the challenge, calling the lawsuit "obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory."
Meanwhile, executives at UFC parent company TKO Holdings have indicated the event may not be financially beneficial. During an earnings call last month, company President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro said the organization expects to lose up to $30 million on the Washington festivities.
The fundraiser marks at least the sixth $1 million-per-person event organized by Trump-aligned political groups ahead of the midterms. Republicans currently maintain a sizable fundraising advantage over Democrats in many competitive House and Senate contests.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.