In one of the more surprising breaks yet between Donald Trump and one of his former staunchest allies, Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly criticized the president’s decision to host UFC fights on the White House lawn.
Speaking to NewsNation in an interview published Saturday, Greene made clear that while she has no issue with the sport itself, she believes the setting is entirely inappropriate.
“I think UFC fights are great. I enjoy watching them, but to be honest with you, I don’t really think they belong on the White House lawn,” Greene said.
“And I don’t think Americans’ taxpayer dollars should have to be paying for that. We have a lot of other important things that we should pay for.”
It’s a remarkable rebuke coming from someone who spent years as one of Trump’s most vocal defenders. Greene frequently stood by the president through controversy after controversy, often echoing his rhetoric more enthusiastically than many members of his own party. But in recent months, cracks in that alliance have become impossible to ignore.
Even while criticizing the event, Greene attempted to soften the blow.
“However, I do hope it’s a great event, and of course I always wish the president well, I wish everyone well, so we’ll see how the event unrolls,” she added.
The UFC event is scheduled to take place on Trump’s 80th birthday, though officials have framed it as part of the broader celebration marking America’s 250th anniversary. UFC CEO Dana White has publicly stated that the idea originated with Trump himself.
For critics, that detail only reinforces what they see as a recurring pattern: transforming public institutions and national symbols into stages for personal spectacle.
The White House has historically been the setting for state dinners, diplomatic ceremonies, medal presentations, and moments of national remembrance. The image of seven UFC bouts unfolding on the South Lawn represents, for many Americans, a dramatic departure from that tradition.
Greene’s criticism carries additional significance because of her recent falling out with Trump. Once considered among his most loyal allies, she increasingly broke with him over issues ranging from foreign policy to the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Just days ago, Greene accused lawmakers of being “traitors” for failing to release additional Epstein-related documents.
Meanwhile, legal efforts to stop the UFC event have failed. Attorneys with the Public Integrity Project sought an injunction to block it from moving forward, but a federal judge ruled Friday that the fights could proceed as planned.
Public opinion also appears skeptical. Earlier this month, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that only 16 percent of Americans considered holding a UFC event on the White House grounds to be appropriate.
Whether supporters view it as an unconventional celebration of American culture or critics see it as another example of the presidency being turned into entertainment, the spectacle has already accomplished one thing: it has prompted even some of Trump’s former allies to ask whether there should still be limits on what belongs at the White House.
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