Welcome to ‘the Claw’: the White House fighting cage captures Trump era rot
The 154ft-tall structure for the UFC Freedom 250 gives Trump a chance to to put the government out to the highest bidder
TL;DR
- A 154-foot-tall fighting cage, 'the Claw,' is being built on the White House South Lawn for 'UFC Freedom 250,' celebrating Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
- The event is criticized as a 'kleptocratic spectacle' allowing Trump to reward allies, extract tribute, and deepen his influence.
- A lawsuit by the Public Integrity Project argues the event is a private, for-profit sporting event and does not meet criteria for using federal grounds.
- The event is linked to significant financial transactions, including VIP packages costing $1.5 million and Trump's advisors purchasing stock in the UFC's parent company.
- The article contrasts 'the Claw' with the Statue of Liberty, portraying the former as a symbol of Trump's 'Hobbesian vision' and the latter as representing liberalism and freedom.
- The Department of Justice, represented by Yaakov Roth, has argued in court that the President can act swiftly and unilaterally, making challenges to such actions potentially moot due to a lack of standing.