On Tuesday, President Donald Trump suggested that the UFC arena being built on the White House South Lawn for a June 14 fight event could remain in place permanently, comparing the project to Paris' Eiffel Tower.
In a video posted to his official TikTok account, Trump referenced the 1889 World's Fair in Paris and the construction of the Eiffel Tower. He said it was "supposed to be taken down immediately after the World's Fair," but was ultimately kept after public interest grew.
"And then they said, 'We sort of like it, let's leave it up a little longer,'" Trump said in the video. "And then, they said, 'Let's leave it up longer and longer and longer.'"
He then pointed to a structure being built in front of the White House for an upcoming UFC fight scheduled for June 14, describing it as "quite attractive to a lot of people."
"I'm looking at it and maybe we'll never ever take it down," he added, suggesting the possibility that the temporary venue could remain beyond the event.
White House communications director Steven Cheung appeared to endorse the idea, responding to reports about the arena's potential permanence with a nodding GIF on social media.
