Ivanka Trump Returns to the White House

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White revealed today that former White House advisor and First Daughter Ivanka Trump will be "involved" with her father, President Donald Trump, in organizing a live fight on the White House grounds next year.

The event, which is set to occur on July 4, 2026, to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary, marks a notable turn for the President's oldest daughter, who has stated repeatedly that she doesn't want to be involved in politics anymore. Ivanka, who served as the Director of the Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship during her father's first term, stated in 2022 that "This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics."

She also stated on the "Skinny Confidential/Him & Her" podcast, that "I love policy and impact; I hate politics...Unfortunately, the two are not separable. There's a darkness in that world that I don't really want to welcome into mine."

Since leaving Washington in January 2021, she has focused largely on her family life in Florida and avoided political appearances, even skipping her father's campaign launch in 2022. While Ivanka has not returned in an official advisory capacity, her involvement appears to have been personally requested by her father. The idea, first floated by President Trump during a 2025 kickoff for the semiquincentennial celebration, quickly gained traction.

According to White, Trump reportedly insisted, "I want Ivanka in the middle of this," prompting immediate involvement from his daughter. White added, "So Ivanka reached out to me, and her and I started talking about the possibilities, where it would be and, you know, I put together all the renderings." The UFC president told Reuters that the fight will be "absolutely" happening as part of the nation's semiquincentennial celebration and is expected to draw massive attention both in person and on television.

The event, expected to welcome up to 20,000 spectators, will be broadcast live on CBS and is part of a sweeping seven-year, multi-billion‑dollar media rights deal between UFC's owner, TKO Group, and Paramount. Ivanka subsequently began coordinating directly with the UFC president, including reviewing renderings and planning logistics ahead of a formal meeting to take place in Washington, D.C. in late August.

The event is also closely tied to a massive shift in UFC's broadcasting strategy. Beginning in 2026, the entirety of UFC programming will be consolidated under Paramount+, with select marquee events simulcast on CBS.