Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is not a fan of the Trump family using the White House as a backdrop for a cage fight — and then selling $12,000 coins to cash in on it.

On Monday, Sanders took to X to call out what he sees as a textbook case of kleptocracy. His point: While a UFC fight was being hosted on the White House lawn, the Trump family was hawking coins priced as high as $12,000 to profit from the event. "They're not draining the swamp. They are the swamp," Sanders wrote.

The event in question was a UFC fight night held at the White House on Sunday, featuring seven mixed martial arts bouts. It was the first professional sporting event ever held at the White House, part of the nation's 250th anniversary celebrations — and coinciding with President Trump's 80th birthday.

But the real story might be the merchandise. The "Freedom 250"-themed silver and gold coins, marketed as a collaboration between UFC and the Trump Organization, were sold ahead of the fight and are still available on the Realtrumpcoins website. The most expensive option: a gold medallion priced at $11,999.99, featuring portraits of Trump and UFC chief Dana White. A silver version goes for $250. The coins are called "Trump Coins" and promoted as "designed by President Trump."

To be clear, the Trump Organization is only licensing Trump's brand for the coins — it's not manufacturing or selling them directly, according to CNN. But the optics are, well, something.

And there's more. Trump himself bought up to $50,000 worth of shares in TKO Group Holdings (TKO), the UFC's parent company, back in March, according to Reuters. The UFC said it spent about $60 million to cover event costs. Meanwhile, the event's streaming closed captions on Paramount SkyDance Corp.'s (PSKY) Paramount+ were sponsored by Trump Coin. And World Liberty Financial, a crypto firm linked to Trump's family and allies, helped fund bonus payouts to standout fighters.

Unsurprisingly, the backlash isn't limited to Sanders. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) noted that everyday Americans are facing rising costs while the President hosts UFC fights on the White House lawn. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton invoked the phrase "Not his house. It's our house," calling the event a "literal cage match."

So, was it a celebration of American freedom or a branding opportunity? Depends on who you ask. But one thing's clear: the swamp metaphor is getting a workout.