RTE’s Washington Correspondent Jackie Fox found herself having an unexpected tour of the new UFC Arena on the South Lawn of the White House this morning.

Posting on TikTok, the Galway woman who was posted to Washington earlier this year to take up the position of RTE Correspondent, has been busy every day reporting on the goings-on around everyday life at the White House.

Today started as any normal day, on the press bus to the White House for morning briefings, when the bus took a detour and the members of the press were treated to an unofficial, unexpected tour of the massive UFC Arena being built in the President’s back garden.

The new arena holds 4,500 people and is being built both as a party venue for the President’s birthday and as a celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday.

Some people have paid $1.5 million for a seat in the Arena for Sunday’s UFC fighting spectacular.

Some other tickets were given to active members of the US Military, but these tickets came with a strange restriction: a person had to be a certain weight and height to be allowed a ticket. As Jackie herself explains, ‘You have to be trim.’

It’s expected tens of thousands of UFC fans will gather outside the White House on Sunday, June 14, to try to catch a glimpse of what is happening inside, which is being billed as a spectacular event.

As Jackie explains, there has been a lot of criticism about the event and the venue, which is not air-conditioned as it is completely outdoors. This Sunday, the weather is expected to be extremely humid, with temperatures of 32 degrees and the threat of thunderstorms.

The UFC has addressed the issue of funding for the event, saying it is picking up the bill.

There have also been concerns about holding a private, for-profit event on the grounds of a national monument like the White House.

@jackiefox_ FIRST LOOK #UFC at the White House #irish #Trump #journalist #US ♬ original sound – Jackie Fox