From golf to UFC: A brief history of sport at the White House

The White House South Lawn, a verdant expanse typically associated with low-contact sports and family-friendly gatherings, is set to host an unprecedented spectacle: a UFC bout celebrating President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.

This event will unfold within an eight-sided, wire-mesh cage, complete with an open overhead dome and large screens, surrounded by thousands of arena seats – a stark departure from the putting green installed by Dwight D. Eisenhower or the horseshoe pit added by George H.W. Bush.

Known until now for events like the annual Easter Egg Roll or congressional picnics, the South Lawn has traditionally been a space for joyful, bipartisan occasions.

The transformation of this historic area into a venue for what some describe as "blood sport," featuring a hulking structure known as "The Claw" with a complex lighting scheme, illustrates yet another White House norm that President Trump appears to be gleefully dismantling – or, in UFC parlance, forcing to tap out.

Construction of the UFC octagon structure outside the White House Heather Diehl/Getty Images

The president’s suggestion that this cage-fighting venue could become a permanent fixture further underscores the dramatic shift from the T-ball games once hosted by George W. Bush.

"Sports has been central to presidents. I don’t know that it’s been quite the spectacle that it is with the Trump administration," observed Michael Patrick Cullinane, senior historian at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

While many early presidents were athletic, with Abraham Lincoln and William Howard Taft celebrated as young wrestlers, it was Teddy Roosevelt who first integrated sports significantly into White House life, installing a tennis court to encourage relaxation.

Cullinane, author of "Theodore Roosevelt and the Tennis Cabinet," noted that Roosevelt, despite not playing well, engaged in tennis "long and vigorously," taking to the court daily. He also held boxing bouts within the White House, though these were far more intimate affairs than the upcoming UFC event.

Roosevelt famously detached the retina of his left eye during a sparring session in 1905. President Trump, when asked about Roosevelt in a recent interview, acknowledged his energy and love for the outdoors, confirming his awareness of Roosevelt’s boxing but not commenting on the comparison to the UFC event.

Other presidents also brought their sporting passions to the White House. Herbert Hoover played "Hoover-ball," a combination of tennis and volleyball using medicine balls, to improve his fitness.

Franklin D. Roosevelt had an indoor pool built for polio therapy. Harry S. Truman removed an old horseshoe pit, only for it to be reinstalled by the first President Bush in 1989. His son, George W. Bush, hosted 20 T-ball games on the South Lawn, often featuring children of active-duty military personnel.

Eisenhower frequently used his putting green, leaving golf-spike marks inside the Oval Office. Barack Obama temporarily converted White House tennis facilities into a basketball court, which were later reverted during a pavilion improvement project overseen by first lady Melania Trump.

President Dwight Eisenhower brushes up on his golf game near the putting green on the lawn of the White House, Jan. 13, 1959, in WashingtonAP Photo, File

Historically, presidents have leveraged sports to connect with everyday voters and project vitality. John F. Kennedy, for instance, downplayed his golfing prowess but promoted images of his family playing touch football to convey youth and energy.

Richard Nixon, despite having a bowling alley in the White House, frequently spoke of his love for football to appeal to fans. Barack Obama made an annual event of filling out NCAA brackets.

However, President Trump’s approach is distinct. He has attended numerous major sporting events, but the UFC coming to the White House is unprecedented. Tevi Troy, a presidential historian, described it as "a combination of athletic event and a celebrity event."

Troy noted that with much of the entertainment world hostile to Republicans, President Trump "goes to find his celebrities where he can."

A long-time UFC fan, President Trump’s 2024 campaign has highlighted his friendship with UFC chief Dana White, using the sport to energise voters.

The bare-knuckled nature of UFC matches is seen by some as mirroring President Trump’s political style, even leading to controversial suggestions, such as his idea for a migrant fighting league.

Cullinane added that the "UFC is dominated by men and this idea of masculinity," which means "whenever you aim for a certain demographic, you are almost naturally politicizing the sport."

President George H.W. Bush lets loose of a horseshoe during the dedication of the new horseshoe pit on the White House lawn Saturday April 1, 1989, in WashingtonAP Photo/Barry Thumma

Despite "The Claw" being designed as a temporary structure, President Trump has mused about its permanence, drawing a parallel to the Eiffel Tower, which was initially built for the 1889 World’s Fair but never taken down. "You know, we’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people,"

President Trump said, adding, "And I’m looking at it, and maybe we’ll never, ever take it down." Troy suggested that in two decades, such spectacles might become normalised as traditions shift, with President Trump’s norm-breaking playing a significant role. "Breaking the precedent doesn't bother him," Troy concluded.