Trump's White House cage fight forces G7 meeting re-schedule
President Trump's plans to host a UFC fight at the White House for his 80th birthday have forced France to change the G7 schedule, following Trump's early G7 exit in 2025
The upcoming G7 summit scheduled for June has been altered to accommodate an Ultimate Fighting Championship event hosting at the White House for President Trump's birthday, according to reports.
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The annual Group of 7 summit, which brings together leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S, was originally scheduled for June 14-16 in Evian-les-Baines, France.
However, after Trump announced plans for a "big UFC fight" for his 80th birthday on June 14, Paris reportedly pushed back the summit to avoid a clash.
According to the Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White, a long-term friend of the President, the logistics of the event are nearly complete, with the event expected to host around 5,000 people on the South Lawn of the White House.
Fighters are also expected to make a ceremonial walk from the Oval Office to the octagon, according to White.
As consequence, the 2026 G7 summit has been pushed back to June 15-17.
The office of the French President refused to directly confirm whether the change of date was a direct consequence of the scheduling conflict, instead saying it was "the result of our consultations with G7 partners".
However, a White House official said the summit was rescheduled to “accommodate” Trump's schedule.
"As the leader of the free world, our partners believed that President Trump’s attendance at the G7 Summit was essential. They kindly shifted dates to accommodate the US President’s schedule."
The date change comes just a year after the President left the G7 meeting early, citing concerns over the conflict between Iran and Israel.