President Donald Trump announced this Friday on his Truth Social account that the Department of War of the United States will broadcast its first television advertisement during the historic event UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, scheduled for this Sunday night.
The commercial, titled "Peace through Strength," will debut during the mixed martial arts event taking place in the south lawn of the White House in Washington D.C., marking the first time in history that a professional MMA fight is held on the grounds of the presidential residence.
Trump presented the announcement as the return of the warrior spirit to the institution and as a direct call for military recruitment. "The Warrior Ethos has RETURNED to the Department of War, and we call on the best young Americans to join our Great Combat Machine (when needed!)," wrote the president.
The UFC Freedom 250 event is part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States, under the public-private initiative Freedom 250 by the White House. The date of June 14 also coincides with Flag Day and the 80th birthday of Trump.
A federal judge recently denied an emergency injunction request that aimed to prevent the event from taking place, allowing it to proceed without legal obstacles. The UFC will have to pay 700,000 dollars to restore the lawn of the White House after the fight.
Among the fighters featured in the promotional materials for the event are Ilia Topuria, Alex Pereira, Justin Gaethje, and Mauricio Ruffy. The event will be broadcast live on Paramount+.
The Department of War reclaimed that historic name following the executive order signed by Trump on September 5, 2025, the number 200 of his second term, which permits the use of that designation in secondary titles, documents, and official communications.
The original name of the institution was "Department of War" from the founding of the country until 1947, when the National Security Act renamed it as the Department of Defense.
The secretary Pete Hegseth, whom Trump publicly refers to as the “secretary of war,” has been the main advocate for the name change and for the return of a military strength doctrine under the current administration. The website war.gov is already operational as the official platform of the institution.
The phrase "Peace through Strength" is a historic motto associated with Ronald Reagan that Trump has adopted as a cornerstone of his foreign policy and defense doctrine, and it appears in the 2026 National Defense Strategy.
The relationship between Trump and the UFC is long-standing and close: Dana White, the organization's president and a close political ally of the former president, spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, and Trump has regularly attended UFC events, where he has been greeted with cheers in the octagon.
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