A new federal lawsuit was filed seeking to block the July 14 cage-fight on the White House Lawn, along with the 3-day three‑day spectacle of VIP packages, brand placements, and an exclusive Paramount+ broadcast. It calls the operation a “volcano of corruption.” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is asked to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the event. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the Public Integrity Project (PIP) on behalf of Virginia residents Susan Douglas and Paul Romano.
The core of the lawsuit alleges financial corruption and misuse of federal property. Individual sponsorship packages are being sold for $1-1.5 million. Trump bought stock and also personally invested $50,000 into TKO, the owner of the martial arts UFC operation. The event is to be live-streamed by Paramount+ (whose owners are allies of Trump) and will not be available to be seen except with a paid subscription fee. Bud Light, Monster Energy, and Polymarket get to use public landmarks as the equivalent of advertising billboards.
