Dear Joe,
I wish I could sit down with you face to face and explain why so many of us were offended by the UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House.
For me, it had nothing to do with the UFC or who showed up for the fights. The brand you and Dana have built is a bona fide American success story. More power to you. As for the fighters, in my book, anyone brave enough to put it all on the line in the arena is remarkable to witness. Their dedication and discipline inspire me. I don’t understand anyone who can’t admire that.
And as for the people who attended, I, for one, love Shane Gillis. I think he’s hilarious and brilliant. It was a show. A once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. I can’t blame anyone for wanting to witness it firsthand.
My problem is that I believe some of our public spaces are sacred. And unlike many of the great powers that came before us, these American monuments belong to all of us. Not to whoever happens to hold power at the moment.
The White House does not belong to Donald Trump. It does not belong to any President. It belongs to the people. To treat it as Caesar treated the Colosseum is antithetical to everything our founding fathers fought for.
This is not Rome. Presidents are not emperors doling out bread and circuses for the peasants. The White House is the People’s House. This “celebration” could have happened in any stadium within a stone’s throw of the South Lawn. No one would have had an issue with it.
But that was obviously Donald Trump’s whole point. By holding the event on the South Lawn, what he was saying to the rest of us is:
“This is my house. I own it. I will do with it what I please. I’ll build a colosseum and have the gladiators fight under my gaze. I’ll tear down the East Wing. I’ll pave over the Rose Garden. I’ll cover everything in gold and marble. I’ll erase the names of all the men who came before me.”
The fights were an exhibition of imperial domination, not a celebration of our 250th anniversary as a democracy.
The White House is not Buckingham Palace. It is not the Palace of Versailles. It is not the Forbidden City of Beijing. It does not belong to an emperor, or a king, or a commissar.
The White House belongs to us. All of us. The person who sits behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office is nothing more than an honored guest. A temporary caretaker.
The President is our servant. Not our Caesar.
Respectfully, Hunter
P.S. Cage match between me and Don Jr.? Your call on the venue. Anywhere but the South Lawn.
BREAKING: San Antonio Spurs star De'Aaron Fox has agreed to a four-year, $229 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN. The max deal secures Fox's future in San Antonio through the 2029-30 season.
CAREER UPDATE 🚨🚨 Sunday was my last game as Sacramento Kings play by play announcer. After 6 seasons on the job, my contract is not being renewed. I want to thank all the Kings fans and the people of Sacramento for making me feel welcome. 1/3
Sienna and I reserved our wedding venue in February 2025, and between then and the big day yesterday we:
- both searched and got new jobs
- moved to Sacramento
- raised an infant
I will never use tired as an excuse ever again
CBS Sports Ranks the Top 30 Front Offices in the NBA:
1. OKC Thunder
2. Boston Celtics
3. Houston Rockets
4. San Antonio Spurs
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
6. Indiana Pacers
7. New York Knicks
8. Utah Jazz
9. Philadelphia 76ers
10. Minnesota Timberwolves
11. Memphis Grizzlies
12. Charlotte Hornets
13. Atlanta Hawks
14. Miami Heat
15. Brooklyn Nets
16. Detroit Pistons
17. Golden State Warriors
18. LA Clippers
19. Portland Trailblazers
20. Denver Nuggets
21. Orlando Magic
22. Washington Wizards
23. Toronto Raptors
24. Milwaukee Bucks
25. LA Lakers
26. Phoenix Suns
27. Dallas Mavericks
28. Chicago Bulls
29. New Orleans Pelicans
30. Sacramento Kings
BREAKING: An unidentified Dallas investor group is interested in partnering with Mark Cuban to buy the Mavericks back from Patrick Dumont, @TheSteinLine has learned.
A source close to Dumont told me “the family remains excited about the future of the franchise and the Cooper Flagg era.”