Republicans desperate for White House UFC tickets as Trump curates crowd for $1M pledges

Republicans were reportedly clamoring for tickets to President Donald Trump's Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight Night on the White House's South Lawn — but tickets are limited, according to reports on Monday.

Trump's event coincides with his 80th birthday on June 14 and is part of a series of celebrations around America's 250th anniversary, NBC News reported. The president was apparently "handpicking most of the 4,000-plus spectators lucky enough, cunning enough or rich enough to score a seat on the South Lawn."

The UFC is paying for the event and tickets are free. But a Republican lobbyist who has direct knowledge of the event and process told NBC News that sponsorship packages have been selling for $1 million or more for ringside seats, with one report suggesting the figure was closer to $1.5 million.

"I’m going to make a lot of enemies because it’s impossible to get everyone tickets," Trump told NBC News in an interview last week.

"The White House directed inquiries about sponsorships to the UFC, which reiterated that it is not selling tickets to the event but did not comment on where the sponsorship money was going," NBC News reported.

White House communications director Steven Cheung told NBC News that a number of tickets were apparently going to military members, VIPs who are friends of the president, lawmakers, foreign dignitaries and Trump administration staff. He added that he keeps a list of people pleading to attend.

White House officials were reportedly receiving continued requests for tickets.

"I get calls, texts or emails every day — a few times every day," said Cheung, who is a former UFC spokesperson and has a West Wing office decked out in UFC memorabilia and a replica championship belt.