Trump bought UFC shares while promoting fight in the White House
Ethics organizations warn that the financial operation coincides with benefits for the company
President Donald Trump's purchase of shares in the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has sparked fresh criticism over potential conflicts of interest between his financial activities and his role leading the country.
According to an analysis published by HuffPost and based on the financial statement presented by Trump on May 12, the president acquired between 15,000 and 50,000 dollars in shares of TKO Group Holdings, the company that owns UFC, on March 25.
The revelation has attracted attention because Trump has actively promoted the holding of a UFC fight in the gardens of the White House, an event scheduled for June and which is part of the commemorative activities for the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States.
They question possible conflict of interest
The share purchase occurs while the UFC receives unprecedented media exposure thanks to promotion from the presidency.
Jordan Libowitz, vice president of the organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), said that the case represents one of the most worrying examples of possible personal benefit from a public position.
“Using the White House to promote a company whose shares were purchased while it was being promoted is one of the worst conflicts of interest imaginable,” Libowitz said.
According to the aforementioned media, the White House did not immediately respond to questions related to the investment made by the president.
The relationship between Trump and the UFC
Trump has had a close relationship with Dana White, president of the UFC, for decades. In recent months he has used various public spaces to promote the fight scheduled for June 14.
During a meeting in the Oval Office, he even showed images generated by artificial intelligence of what the octagon installed on the South Lawn of the White House would look like.
“This will be the greatest show in the world,” the president said then when referring to the event.
Norm Eisen, former White House counsel during Barack Obama's administration, argued that the project could benefit the president financially while he is in office.
Administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have previously defended that stock buying and selling decisions are not made directly by Trump, but by financial advisers.