President Donald Trump celebrated a major win after his 'Big Beautiful Bill' was passed by in Congress on Thursday night in Iowa, as he promised to give the United States a big and beautiful birthday.
A year from Friday, the United States will mark its 250th anniversary, and Trump's victory lap at the Iowa State Fairgrounds served as the perfect launch of the "America 250" celebration—a yearlong series of events leading up to July 4, 2026. During his speech, the president teased what is expected to be one of the most spectacular highlights of the yearlong festivities—an event that is set to unfold right in his own backyard.
As Big as It Gets
Trump also announced that there will be a UFC fight with up to 25,000 spectators at the White House by next year as part of the anniversary celebrations. "Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have a UFC fight — think of this — on the grounds of the White House," he said.
A bloody cage match held on the White House lawn is expected to spark backlash from the Republican leader's critics — though it may serve as an unorthodox method for the president to engage with the public.
"We have a lot of land there, we're going to build a little — we're not, Dana is going to do it. Dana is great, one of a kind — going to be UFC fight, championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 to 25,000 people, and we're going to do that as part of '250'," Trump, 79, said in the speech.
Trump, who is a longtime friend of UFC President Dana White, recently attended a fight in Newark featuring Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley.
Not long after winning the November 5 election, he made an appearance at a UFC match at Madison Square Garden in New York, joined by Elon Musk, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his son Donald Trump Jr., and musician Kid Rock.
His visit to Iowa was originally planned to kick off the America250 celebrations leading up to next year's Independence Day, but it also served as a victory rally for the passing of his "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which fulfilled campaign promises by eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security income.
Trump on a High
Trump, who delivered a speech lasting over an hour, had spent much of the previous night persuading reluctant House Republicans ahead of the final vote. "We're going to have some incredible events, some professional events, some amateur events. But the UFC fight is going to be a big deal, too," Trump said.
He also announced plans for a "Great American State Fair" to be held in Iowa and at fairgrounds nationwide, leading up to a massive patriotic celebration next summer on the National Mall, which will feature "exhibits from all 50 states."
He added that he would also be "officially opening the National Garden of American heroes, a vast outdoor park featuring statues of the greatest Americans who ever lived."
He also mentioned that a sports event called the Patriot Games would showcase "top high school athletes from all 50 states."
"Exactly one year from tomorrow, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America's founding with a birthday party the likes of which you have never seen before," Trump touted.
"Together, we're going to ensure that America's 250th anniversary is the single greatest year in the city of our country."
