There is a long list of things Melania Trump has skipped this year. China. Memorial Day. Most of Donald Trump’s UFC outings, despite those becoming something close to a monthly habit for him. According to multiple reports, however, Sunday could bring a rare exception.
The occasion is Trump’s 80th birthday, which also falls on Flag Day and happens to coincide with a UFC fight card on the South Lawn of the White House. Sources told the New York Post that Melania is expected to be sitting ringside for the event, a detail that stands out because she has largely stayed away from Trump’s recent UFC appearances.
That absence has been noticeable. When Trump attended a UFC event in Miami back in April, Ivanka Trump accompanied him while Melania stayed away. If the latest reports prove accurate, Sunday’s appearance would represent a significant departure from the pattern she has followed for much of the year.
She is also expected to have plenty of company. Ivanka and Jared Kushner are reportedly attending, along with Eric and Lara Trump. Don Jr. and his new wife Bettina are said to be planning their first public appearance as a married couple at the event, while Karoline Leavitt is reportedly stepping away from maternity leave to attend with her husband Nicholas Riccio.
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The scale of the production helps explain why so much attention is being placed on the event in the first place. A 4,300 seat arena has been constructed on the South Lawn around an octagon, complete with a massive arched lighting rig UFC has nicknamed “The Claw.” Another 85,000 spectators are expected to watch from a separate viewing area on the Ellipse using jumbo screens.
UFC is reportedly covering the estimated $60 million cost. The Pentagon has also been compiling lists of service members eligible for tickets, with internal guidance reportedly stating that attendees must meet military body composition standards, which remains one of the more unusual details surrounding the weekend.
Yet for all the construction, planning and money involved, another part of the story has generated just as much discussion. Several outlets reported this week that a long list of celebrities invited by Dana White appears to have declined.
According to those reports, the guest list originally included names such as Tom Brady, Adam Sandler, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Guy Ritchie, Jared Leto and Mario Lopez. The New Republic described the remaining celebrity lineup as “embarrassing,” a characterization that quickly attracted attention of its own.
That has left many observers looking elsewhere. With the celebrity section reportedly thinner than expected, focus has increasingly shifted toward the Trump family section, where Melania’s reported appearance has emerged as one of the most discussed details heading into Sunday.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
