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The White House published an official message this Sunday on X to congratulate President Donald J. Trump on his 80th birthday, describing him as "a tireless patriot who fights every day for the country he loves, the people he serves, and the American Dream."
The message presented him as "the 45th and 47th president of the United States," referring to his unique status of having occupied the White House in two non-consecutive terms.
The tweet included a graphically patriotic image depicting Trump in a navy suit, red tie, and a cap inscribed with "USA," walking on a red carpet against a backdrop of red and white stripes reminiscent of the American flag.
Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York, and upon turning 80, becomes one of the oldest sitting presidents in the history of the country.
The date has a triple symbolic significance: it is the president's birthday, it coincides with Flag Day -which commemorates the adoption of the national banner on June 14, 1777- and it is part of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States.
Trump himself acknowledged last Wednesday, in a video recorded in the Oval Office alongside Dr. Mehmet Oz, that he was not "pleased" with the arrival of this number: "You don’t have to wish me a happy birthday because I’m not pleased with that birthday I'm going to have," he said, adding that "it's a number I never thought too much about."
The official birthday celebration centers around UFC Freedom 250, the first professional sports event to be held on the grounds of the White House, set up in the south garden with an octagon under a 30-meter metal structure and accommodating more than 4,000 guests, including at least 1,200 active-duty military personnel.
In La Elipse, an area adjacent to the presidential residence, a zone was set up for fans featuring giant screens, accommodating up to 120,000 spectators with free access.
The main event featured Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title, while the co-main event showcased Alex Pereira against Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title.
Marco Rubio described the UFC fight at the White House as "a gift to the American people" and a way to project American culture to the world.
The White House spokesperson, Steven Cheung, stated to the Wall Street Journal that the event will be "one of the largest and most historic sporting events in history," and that the fact Trump is hosting it at the White House is "a testament to his vision of celebrating the monumental 250th anniversary of the United States."
Last year, Trump celebrated his 79th birthday with a military parade in Washington D.C. that cost around 45 million dollars and was accompanied by more than 2,000 protests across the country under the slogan "No Kings."
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