Washington DC - President Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday with a massive display of political machismo on Sunday, staging a cage fight on the White House lawn mere hours after securing a deal on Iran.
In unprecedented scenes, Trump walked out of the Oval Office alongside Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boss Dana White and headed towards the giant arena, dubbed "The Claw," on the White House's South Law.
On the way, the reality TV star-turned-president mounted the historic Truman balcony and saluted while the national anthem and 12 US military jets staged a noisy flyover of the White House.
Trump then took his place on the South Lawn, beside the mesh-fenced cage, where 14 fighters went on to beat each other bloody. First up, Trump was cage side as Brazil's Diego Lopes won by a knockout.
The cage fight was the first professional sporting event ever held at the White House, and was touted as a celebration of the US' 250th anniversary.
Despite this, it was held on Trump's birthday and key officials – including Vice President JD Vance – have admitted that it was held to celebrate the president.
The icing on the cake for the birthday festivities had come hours earlier, when Trump announced that a peace deal with Iran was now "complete" and will be signed soon.
The $60 million mixed martial arts tournament also happens to fall on the US public holiday of Flag Day, and was partially delayed by bad weather in Washington DC on Sunday.
Trump's birthday cage fight draws mixed reception
Critics have derided the cage fight, calling it a tacky debasement of the White House by a president who has repeatedly shattered norms during his time in power.
Trump, a billionaire, has also faced criticism for staging the event amid a war with Iran that has sent global energy prices soaring and caused a major knock-on effect for US consumers, rapidly worsening the cost-of-living crisis.
There has also been criticism of the commercialization of the event in the home of American democracy, with sponsors including Bud Light beer and betting market Polymarket having their logos emblazoned on the Octagon.
The fight is also being broadcast exclusively by Paramount, the US broadcaster run by Trump-ally David Ellison.
MAGA and UFC fans who had gathered to watch the violent extravaganza on a giant screen outside the White House, however, defended the event.
"I do think maybe it's like a little bit of selfishness, but he is the leader, so he has a say," Nyles Rife, a 35-year-old sports performance coach from Virginia, told the AFP.
"If I was a president, if I were to have a UFC event on my birthday, and it fell on the 250th anniversary/Flag Day, I'd do the same. Why not?"
Mark Toone, a 50-year-old US Marine Corps veteran, said the fight was "totally emblematic and representative of American culture."
"I think that it's unfortunate that the opposition is spreading lots of lies and untruths about this event," he said.
The president – who has deep ties and investments in the UFC – has defended the UFC event as a unique spectacle.
"This is going to be an event you're really gonna like," Trump said as he hosted some of the muscle-bound fighters in the Oval Office in May.
Trump "not happy" about turning 80
The macho spectacle has meanwhile distracted from questions about Trump's health as he ages, especially on the day that the president turns 80 in office.
Trump loves to compare his virility to his Democratic predecessor, former President Joe Biden, who also turned 80 in office but was forced to drop his bid for a second term after a disastrous debate with the Republican.
But from bruised hands to a vein condition in his legs and apparent sleepiness in meetings, Trump has also had a number of issues, despite his doctors insisting he's in excellent health.
Trump admitted that he was "not happy about that birthday that I'm having," in a bizarre Oval Office moment this week. "It's not a number I like, but I'm here nevertheless."
For his last birthday, Trump oversaw an unprecedented military parade in Washington, marking the 250th anniversary of the US army.