Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 16
Jemele Hill Slams White House UFC 250 Event as Trump Rally Amid Gas-Price Worries
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 16

Jemele Hill Slams White House UFC 250 Event as Trump Rally Amid Gas-Price Worries

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 16

Summary

  • Hill told TMZ the White House's UFC 250 Freedom event felt like a "Trump rally," not a national celebration, calling it "gaudy," "narcissistic" and out of place.
  • She said the June 15 spectacle amounted to "performative patriotism," arguing fighter jets and pageantry clashed with voters' concerns about gas prices, food costs and day-to-day survival.
  • Hill also questioned whether the crowd reflected America, saying the event lacked diversity even while acknowledging UFC's broad appeal and the diversity of its fighters.
  • The criticism targeted a South Lawn event staged for America's 250th anniversary and Trump's 80th birthday, underscoring how a major sports showcase at the White House quickly became another political flashpoint.

Insights

Why did the UFC accept a $30 million loss to stage a historic fight night on the White House South Lawn?
With a terror plot foiled days prior, what security challenges did the White House's first-ever UFC event face?