Trump suggests – In a TikTok video posted Tuesday, President Donald Trump suggested the UFC lighting grid known as “The Claw” might remain on the White House South Lawn even after the June 14 fight, drawing a comparison to the Eiffel Tower’s long-term survival. The idea would
By the time most people are thinking about June 14. the White House South Lawn will already be rearranged around the UFC fight. But in a TikTok video posted Tuesday. President Donald Trump floated a different timeline: he suggested “The Claw. ” the lighting grid being installed for the event. might not come down.
Trump compared the structure to the Eiffel Tower—built in 1889 for the World’s Fair and originally expected to be dismantled—then said the tower was kept after officials decided they “kinda like it” and left it standing longer. “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 whether Trump was joking. The president and White House staff are known for frequently using social media to mock or provoke critics.
“The Claw” itself is decorated like the American flag and is taller than the White House. Keeping it in place would be a major logistical shift. Trump’s arrivals and departures on the South Lawn have been temporarily halted. because the area set for the fight covers the spot where Marine One typically lands and departs. For trips tied to Air Force One, Trump has instead been motorcading to and from Joint Base Andrews. The South Lawn is also a regular staging ground for large events.
Still. the suggestion fits a pattern critics have pointed to: Trump has moved quickly to alter parts of the presidential home and nearby city spaces in ways that depart from typical expectations. Those changes have included demolishing the East Wing. paving the Rose Garden. gilding the Oval Office. redoing the Lincoln Bedroom bathroom. and creating “The Presidential Walk of Fame. ” which features descriptions of past presidents in Trump’s Truth Social voice.
He has also pushed changes tied to the America 250 celebration, including painting the bottom of the Reflecting Pool “American flag blue” and restoring fountains across Washington.
The UFC event is already being marketed as a high-profile moment. It is scheduled for Flag Day and coincides with Trump’s 80th birthday. The White House has promoted it heavily, including posting an image Wednesday of a jacked Uncle Sam on the White House X page.
UFC CEO Dana White was seen entering the West Wing on Monday. about 24 hours before Trump’s TikTok video went up. UFC is paying for the expenses tied to the event and related construction, estimated at about $60 million. White told Sports Business Journal that UFC plans to pay $700. 000 just to re-sod the grass on the South Lawn. where the “Claw. ” audience stands and the Octagon will sit.
“Because we’re going to f**k up the South Lawn, $700,000 just to replace the grass,” White said.
If Trump’s comment lands as a serious direction rather than a joke, the question becomes less about the fight itself and more about what happens when it ends—whether the White House grounds will return to normal, or whether “The Claw” becomes part of the scenery long after June 14.
Trump UFC The Claw White House South Lawn June 14 TikTok Dana White Eiffel Tower Flag Day Marine One West Wing