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Trump Bought Shares in UFC Parent While Promoting White House Fight

The March stock purchase raises ethics questions about an appearance of conflict from the June 14 South Lawn UFC event.

Overview

  • Financial disclosures reviewed by multiple outlets show the president purchased between $15,001 and $50,000 of TKO Group Holdings stock on March 25.
  • The White House has scheduled the “UFC Freedom 250” for June 14 on the South Lawn, with roughly 4,000 seats there and a large public viewing area planned at the Ellipse, and construction for the event is already visible.
  • White House officials say Trump does not personally make buy or sell decisions and that independent financial advisers handle trades.
  • Watchdogs including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington say the trade creates a troubling appearance of self-dealing because the event would give TKO major publicity.
  • Reporters place the purchase in the context of wider scrutiny of the president’s trading this year, including large disclosed trades and late filings, and the disclosure has prompted new ethics complaints and public concern about use of presidential grounds for commercial gain.