Political Critique

The White House lawn was transformed into a UFC cage-fighting arena to celebrate the president’s 80th birthday, to the tune of over $60 million. Sheryl Crow had words. Over the weekend, as you may have heard, President Donald Trump hosted a birthday party. It was a far cry from that of his predecessor – when former President Joe Biden turned 80 while in office, he marked the occasion with an intimate brunch and a coconut cake. Trump, on the other hand, played host to “UFC Freedom 250,” a bombastic occasion loosely tied to the approaching 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence – but largely focused on Trump himself – that featured motorcycle stunts and fighter jets flying in formation around an Ultimate Fighting Championship cage-fighting octagon that was erected on the White House lawn. It was an expensive affair that cost over $60 million to execute. It was also inflammatory on several levels. For starters, the series of fights that took place throughout the day, as Trump observed from above, was notably devoid of women’s matches, traditionally a featured portion of UFC events. Then, fighter Josh Hokit celebrated his win at the end of the evening by furthering the false narrative that former First Lady Michelle Obama is a man. Podcaster Joe Rogan simply stood by and smiled at Hokit’s rant. Some are now voicing their offense at the size and impropriety spectacle, such as singer Sheryl Crow. In a post to her Instagram Stories, Crow called the proceedings "disgraceful and void of decency." "Powerful, rich people filled the lawn to watch a violent sport that ended with a vile and racist comment,” she continued. “All while the average American cannot afford healthcare, gas and cost of living." Indeed, numerous affluent and influential Americans were in attendance on Sunday, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, comedian Shane Gillis and Fox News host Harris Faulkner. A bevy of politicians also showed up, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Several members of Trump’s family were there, too. And as they gathered, Americans did continue to struggle with elevated prices for fuel and more, upticks caused in part by the Iran war and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Costs are expected to remain elevated despite Trump inking a new deal to end the conflict ahead of his birthday party. "This administration is corrupt, and does not give a damn about the American people," Crow added in her comments. "It only cares about making money hand over fist at the expense and in spite of our democracy.” The singer then urged anyone reading her statement to join her in loudly condemning the event, noting that “if we continue to support this kind of distraction from reality, we are no better than them. Let's be better, America."

Political Critique

Sheryl Crow Decries Trump’s Birthday Spectacle as ‘Disgraceful’

The Story Exchange

Political Critique

Sheryl Crow Decries Trump’s Birthday Spectacle as ‘Disgraceful’

The Story Exchange

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