The White House lawn, traditionally a stage for diplomatic handshakes and solemn addresses, was transformed into a cage fighting arena on Saturday as President Donald Trump hosted a UFC event. For the mostly wealthy crowd in tailored suits, it was a spectacle. For the millions struggling with the cost of living, it was a reminder of the distance between the executive mansion and the kitchen table.
Labour unions, already critical of the administration's record on workers' rights, condemned the event. “While families clip coupons and worry about the rent, the President is throwing a party for the elite,” said a spokesperson for the AFL-CIO. The UFC's average ticket price of £5,000 is more than many Americans earn in a month.
The propriety of using the White House for a for-profit sporting event has been questioned by constitutional experts and ethics watchdogs. The White House defends the move as a celebration of American sportsmanship, but critics note that the UFC's parent company, Endeavor, has donated heavily to pro-Trump super PACs.
For the working class watching from home, the symbolism was hard to ignore: a president who brands himself as a champion of the forgotten man, chumming it up with fighters and billionaires on the taxpayer-funded lawn. The price of bread doesn't care about the Octagon. The question is whether the White House does.
