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.
@Shanemgillis grow a fucking sack dude. Did you say a word when they danced in the streets celebrating charlie kirks murder? What about when they defended a murderer stabbing a kid at a track meet? No calking mike Obama a man is where you draw the line? Pussy
A one-year-old boy was killed and another person was wounded when an officer in Senatobia, Mississippi, shot at a vehicle while responding to a shoplifting call. https://t.co/j1sokUUZBY
Gov. Mike DeWine Tuesday morning called on Ohio to abolish the death penalty, citing data that he said proves it is no longer a deterrent to violent crime. https://t.co/bQ5cvqCA4d
This attack on Gov. Newsom represents a dangerous escalation by Trump.
The President frequently calls for the jailing of his perceived enemies, but his playbook of weaponizing the Department of Justice as a personal attack dog is another level of corruption.
This must stop.
@RadioFreeTom Weird normally countries that win wars dont have their supreme leader and the next 50 guys behind him get killed. Oh you write for the Atlantic sorry you just hate america i got it now
This UFC spectacle at the White House, dripping with corporate sponsors and pay-to-play billions is crass corruption. While families struggle to afford groceries, rent, and healthcare, we’re watching Trump play Gatsby on the People’s lawn.
This grift must end. We deserve better.
UFC Freedom 250 is facing a chaotic weather setup on the White House South Lawn, with a 60% chance of thunderstorms, heavy downpours, and wind gusts up to 34 mph threatening to delay the outdoor fights. On top of the storm risk, brutal D.C. humidity is driving a triple-digit heat index alongside massive swarms of mosquitos and gnats that fighters will have to battle inside the cage. While the venue’s massive 92-foot overhang will keep the octagon dry, a single lightning strike within eight miles will trigger an automatic 30-minute freeze on the entire event.
@simonateba@elonmusk Buddy do you understand how him being a trillionaire has made thousands of people millionaires? Hes done more for our citizens then you could possibly accomplish in 1000 lifetimes. You’re a socialist fuck who doesn’t belong in our country