Lawn care company pledges $1M repair damage to the White House South Lawn from the UFC fight

Skip to content

A private Ohio-based company run by a longtime supporter of President Trump has reportedly pledged $1 million to restore the South Lawn of the White House after the UFC Freedom 250 event held on Trump’s 80th birthday left it damaged.

ScottsMiracle-Gro said it will donate “a combination of monetary and product support” to the National Park Service, including plans to re-sod the lawn and use a special blend of turfgrass chosen by Trump to reseed it. The company expects the lawn to be fully restored by spring of next year.

“The president knows a lot about grass,” ScottsMiracle-Gro chief operating officer Nate Baxter told Fox Business, pointing to Trump’s history with golf courses. “It was really interesting to watch our tour scientists and President Trump talk through each of these.”

The White House officials said it was a private donation for lawn care and no taxpayer dollars will be used for the restoration, according to The Washington Post.

The extent of the repairs to the nearby Ellipse, which was similarly damaged during the UFC event held earlier this month, remained unclear. Aerial images taken in the aftermath of the event showed large patches of discoloration and stripped dirt where grass had previously covered around the Ellipse.

The UFC event held on the South Lawn is part of a slate of celebrations marking America’s 250th birthday. Organizers had previously acknowledged that the event would likely cause damage to the lawn.

UFC President Dana White told Sports Business Journal last year that organizers budgeted roughly $700,000 for grass replacement on the South Lawn.

The condition of the White House grounds has been subject to scrutiny in recent weeks as the Trump administration continues its renovation projects in the White House complex and around Washington.

Several of the projects faced backlash, including a multimillion-dollar renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool — which reportedly saw an algae bloom and paint chipping shortly after completion — and a massive White House ballroom that may come with a hefty price tag for taxpayers.

Tags

Dana White

Donald Trump

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.