Strange things are afoot at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, giving rise to an obvious question: how did we get here?Rising from the South Lawn of the White House is a 92ft-tall skeletal structure known as “the Claw”. Beneath it sits an octagonal cage surrounded by sponsor logos, temporary grandstands and thousands of seats for a mixed martial arts card on Sunday night to celebrate Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand.The event has prompted comparisons to Idiocracy, Mike Judge’s satire of a future US where politics, entertainment and corporate branding become indistinguishable. Others have gone further, dismissing it as a “kleptocratic spectacle”. Continue reading...
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jun/14/dana-white-ufc-donald-trump