President Donald Trump has compared the UFC structure being built at the White House to the Eiffel Tower and says he may “never, ever take it down”.
The UFC is set to host an unprecedented show on the South Lawn of the home of the United States’ leader in Washington DC on 14 June, to mark 250 years of American independence.
Construction has started, with workers assembling domed arches over a staging area which will become the octagon.
Trump says he may choose to leave the arena standing because it is “attractive to a lot of people”, like when Paris decided to keep the Eiffel Tower.
The famous structure, built in 1889 as part of the World’s Fair to celebrate 100 years of the French Revolution, was planned to be taken down 20 years later before French authorities decided to keep it.
“Many don’t know that it was supposed to be taken down immediately after the World’s Fair,” Trump said on Tiktok.
“They said ‘you know, we sort of like it, let’s leave it up a little longer’. And then they said ‘let’s leave it longer and longer’ and they never took it down.
“We’re building something in front of the White House that’s quite attractive to a lot of people. And I’m looking at it and maybe we’ll never, ever take it down.”