‘Leading Lady Marmalade’: Watch Pink’s opening number and ‘All That Jazz’ at the Tonys

‘Leading Lady Marmalade’: Watch Pink’s opening number and ‘All That Jazz’ at the Tonys
‘Leading Lady Marmalade’: Watch Pink’s opening number and ‘All That Jazz’ at the Tonys
P!NK performs onstage during The 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 07, 2026 in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

Pink opened the Tony Awards Sunday night in the air — as usual — until Neil Patrick Harris stopped her.

Pink, who was hosting the awards for the first time, performed “I’m Flying” from the musical Peter Pan while dressed as the title character and suspended from the ceiling. Former Tonys host Neil interrupted to joke that the vampires from The Lost Boys musical are the only cool flying people on Broadway.

After singing a couple of notes from other famous Broadway musicals like Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, Pink wrapped her legs around Neil and lifted him into the air while singing Elphaba’s battle cry from Wicked. Neil then sent her offstage to change, telling her to return wearing something “more Pink-like, less Pan-ish.”

A group of Broadway stars then took the stage and began singing “Lady Marmalade” from Moulin Rouge, a song that reached #1 in 2001 when it was recorded by Pink, Mya, Lil’ Kim, Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott. Pink reappeared wearing a top hat, fishnets and a pink corset with a massive pink feathered back, joining a version of the number with lyrics rewritten to celebrate Broadway’s leading ladies.

Megan Thee Stallion, who appeared in Moulin Rouge! The Musical earlier this year, then joined in with a rap about Broadway, before Pink brought back the “Leading Lady Marmalade” song. At the “more, more, more” lyric, the backup singers sang, “Moore, Moore, Alecia Moore” — a reference to Pink’s birth name.

Near the end of the song, Pink sang, “Standing on stage at the Tony Awards/10-year-old me is like, ‘Oh my God!'”

Later in the show, Pink participated in a tribute to Chicago, the longest-running American musical in Broadway history, performing “All That Jazz.”


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From ‘the cure’ to The Cure: Robert Smith duets with Olivia Rodrigo at Primavera Sound

From ‘the cure’ to The Cure: Robert Smith duets with Olivia Rodrigo at Primavera Sound
From ‘the cure’ to The Cure: Robert Smith duets with Olivia Rodrigo at Primavera Sound
Robert Smith of The Cure performs at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre on May 20, 2023 in Chula Vista, California. (Harmony Gerber/Getty Images) Olivia Rodrigo at 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Disney/Frank Micelotta)

Robert Smith made a surprise appearance during pop star and noted Cure fanatic Olivia Rodrigo’s set at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, Spain, over the weekend.

The “Boys Don’t Cry” singer joined Rodrigo for the debut of her song “what’s wrong with me,” which will appear on her upcoming album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.

Rodrigo introduced the song by saying, “I can’t believe this song exists with the person that it exists with. I’m just so f****** over the moon.”  She also mentioned that it’s the first time she’s had a feature on one of her albums.

After singing the first verse and chorus, Rodrigo said, “Ladies and gentlemen, will you welcome Robert Smith!” 

“I feel like I’m gonna cry,” she said at the end of the song. “I can’t believe that that’s a thing that happened in the real world and not just a figment of my imagination.”

You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love also includes the single “drop dead,” in which she references the Cure song “Just Like Heaven,” as well as a track literally titled “the cure.” The record is due out Friday.

Smith previously performed with Rodrigo at Glastonbury 2025.

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5 stabbed at New York City’s Penn Station, suspect in custody: Sources

5 stabbed at New York City’s Penn Station, suspect in custody: Sources
5 stabbed at New York City’s Penn Station, suspect in custody: Sources
An Amtrak police officer moves barriers at the scene of a stabbing in Penn Station on June 7, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — Five people were stabbed Sunday evening at New York City’s Penn Station by a man experiencing homelessness, sources told ABC News.

The suspect, a man in his 50s who has not been publicly named, was taken into police custody on Sunday, sources said.

“My heart is with everyone who was injured, their loved ones, and all those shaken by this unacceptable violence,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement posted on social media. “I’m wishing each of the victims a full and speedy recovery.”

None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening, sources said.

Mamdani praised the “swift response” by Amtrak police and other first responders, who he said “acted quickly to apprehend the suspect and provide emergency care.”

“There are currently no impacts to Amtrak service,” Mamdani said.

The stabbings unfolded one night before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, which is directly above Penn Station. President Donald Trump will attend Monday night’s game, prompting massive security protocols and the cancellation of the watch party outside of Madison Square Garden.

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Heart singer Ann Wilson opens up about cancer diagnosis for the 1st time

Heart singer Ann Wilson opens up about cancer diagnosis for the 1st time
Heart singer Ann Wilson opens up about cancer diagnosis for the 1st time
Ann Wilson of Heart performs onstage during the GRAMMY Hall of Fame Gala 2026 at The Beverly Hilton on May 08, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Ann Wilson, the lead singer behind Heart, is publicly speaking out about her cancer diagnosis for the first time.

“I had to have surgery and a bunch of rounds of chemotherapy and radiation,” Wilson told ABC News’ Lara Spencer in an interview that aired Monday on Good Morning America.

“It’s pretty scary,” she added.

The 75-year-old singer, who released her documentary, Ann Wilson: In My Voice, in May, was diagnosed with cancer in 2024.

At the time, the singer shared the news in an Instagram post, telling fans she “underwent an operation to remove something that, as it turns out, was cancerous.”

While she said that the operation was “successful” and that she was “feeling great,” her doctors advised her to “undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy” and also advised her to take a break from performing.

Wilson and her sister, Nancy Wilson, postponed their Royal Flush Tour so she could recover.

The “Alone” singer said that what helped her as she got through her cancer battle was music and how it was a “positive force” for her. She returned to the stage on Feb. 28, 2025.

“When I felt my energy come back, I went out on tour again and it was really great,” she said. “The first night we went out on stage, I just said to myself, well, you know what? I’m just gonna be who I am, I’m gonna take off the wig and just go out there in a wheelchair.”

She added, “This is who I am. And it was remarkably liberating for me to do that.”

With her new documentary and being back behind the mic, Wilson is allowing more people in to learn more about her.

“I’m something more than just that singer you see standing up there with the mic,” she said. “I wanted them to know about my life, my kids, my husband, everything.”

Wilson also reflected on her journey and her career performing alongside her sister. When they first came together as Heart in 1973, they entered a male-dominated rock ‘n’ roll world. They would continue to lead in the genre for more than 50 years.

“My sister and I just wanted to play guitars and we wanted to get out in front of people and we didn’t think we’re gonna break the glass ceiling,” she said.

The singer also highlighted the ups and downs of her relationship with her sister. Over the years, they faced creative differences and more, but have since reconciled.

When asked about how she and her sister are today, Wilson said, “We’re fine. We are about to go into a new project together.”

She added that fans can expect to see Heart on stage together again.

Looking back on her career, Wilson said the biggest honor — aside from performing “Stairway to Heaven” at the Kennedy Center Honors — is having a younger generation discover Heart for the first time and having lifelong fans continue to connect with the music.

“That is an honor, maybe the biggest honor is that people are coming still and they really have a great time,” she said.

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Trump, Mamdani slated to cheer on Knicks during finals game in New York

Trump, Mamdani slated to cheer on Knicks during finals game in New York
Trump, Mamdani slated to cheer on Knicks during finals game in New York
In this Nov. 21, 2025, file photo, President Donald Trump meets with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — Madison Square Garden is set to be filled to the brim Monday night with passionate Knicks fans decked out in their orange and blue pride, but eyes may be on what two of the most powerful New Yorkers will be doing during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

President Donald Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani have said they will be attending the game and cheering on the Knicks as they seek another win in the best-of-seven series.

Trump, who has sat courtside at many Knicks games before being elected president, said he was personally invited by Jim Dolan, the team’s owner and longtime friend of the president.

“They’re really great, a great team. I’m happy for Jim because Jim has really been fighting hard to produce such a team,” Trump told reporters Thursday.

It’s highly unlikely that if Trump attends, he will be sitting courtside due to security concerns, and it’s not known who he will be seated with.

The president isn’t expected to be the only major elected official in the “World’s Most Famous Arena” during tip-off, as Mamdani revealed Thursday he will be attending the game.

“I’m paying for my own ticket,” the mayor said in an interview with radio station 1010 Wins Friday.

Trump and Mamdani have had personal meetings at the White House ever since the Democratic Socialist won the 2025 mayoral election.

However, Mamdani indicated on Thursday that he will be “in a very different section of the stadium” than the president during the game. He has dodged several questions about whether he will meet with Trump during his trip to New York.

“If I do see him, I will let him know what I’ve said time and again, which is we’re excited to welcome anyone and everyone who’s rooting for the Knicks,” Mamdani told 1010 Wins Friday.

The mayor had previously watched the Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 21 and was seated high up in the cheaper seats along with city public advocate Jumaane Williams.

Their attendance was unannounced before the game.

Mamdani indicated that once again he would not be in the best seats in the Garden for Monday’s matchup.

“I can tell you that I won’t be courtside or in a suite, but I can’t wait to see the game,” he told the radio station.

Mamdani has been vocally critical of the Trump administration’s policy on immigration, government cuts and threats to cut funding to Democratic run states and cities.

During the election, Trump vocally decried Mamdani, calling him a “communist” and warning that New York would be in a worse place under his leadership.

The president’s tone changed on Nov. 21, when Mamdani met with Trump in the Oval Office and they emerged with a much more amicable relationship.

“I think this mayor could do some things that are going to be really great,” Trump said in a news conference after the meeting, where he smiled, shook Mamdani’s hand and even patted him on the back.

The mayor and president met another time in the winter and Mamdani has said he has spoken to Trump on the phone numerous times about matters to the city.

Mamdani has maintained his opposition to many of the president’s policies but has maintained he is open to working with him to help New Yorkers, especially when it comes to driving down housing costs.

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Trial to get underway for man accused of starting devastating Palisades Fire

Trial to get underway for man accused of starting devastating Palisades Fire
Trial to get underway for man accused of starting devastating Palisades Fire
Jonathan Rinderknecht is seen in a photo released by the Department of Justice. (Department of Justice)

(LOS ANGELES) — The federal trial for a man accused of starting a fire that eventually became the deadly blaze that devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles last year is set to begin.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the case against Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of “maliciously” starting a fire that six days later developed into what became known as the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history.

Rinderknecht, a former Los Angeles resident living in Florida, was arrested nine months after the Palisades Fire leveled neighborhoods in Los Angeles County and left 12 people dead.

He was indicted on three counts — destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire. He pleaded not guilty and faces up to 45 years in prison if convicted.

Federal prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht, who was working as an Uber driver at the time, ignited a brush fire that became known as the Lachman Fire on Jan. 1, 2025.

Despite being suppressed by fire crews, prosecutors allege that the fire continued to smolder until it surfaced again nearly a week later amid high winds in the Los Angeles area, eventually becoming the Palisades Fire.

In a criminal complaint, authorities allege Rinderknecht caused the initial fire by lighting a combustible material, such as vegetation or paper, with an open flame, likely a lighter.

The complaint included an image Rinderknecht allegedly generated in July 2024 using ChatGPT, showing in part “a burning forest and a crowd fleeing from it.”

“You could see some of his thought process in the months leading up, where he was generating some really concerning images up on ChatGPT, which appears to show a dystopian city being burned down,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference following Rinderknecht’s arrest in October 2025.

In a court filing last month, the defense stated that Rinderknecht “denies he willfully and maliciously set” the Lachman Fire “and therefore cannot be responsible for either the Lachman or the Palisades Fire, or the resulting damages.” The defense attorney, Steven Haney, also questioned the government’s “holdover theory,” which posits that the Palisades Fire was caused by the Lachman Fire, and argued that the fires were two distinct events.

The trial is estimated to last seven to 11 days.

The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7, 2025, burning more than 23,000 acres over more than three weeks and destroying nearly 7,000 structures, decimating the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to California fire officials.

It ignited the same day as the Eaton Fire, which burned more than 14,000 acres in Los Angeles County, destroying more than 9,400 structures and killing 19 people, according to officials.

The fires started burning during strong Santa Ana winds, which, combined with dry conditions, helped their ability to spread quickly.

Investigators pursued more than 200 leads, conducted hundreds of interviews and collected more than 13,000 pieces of evidence, including fire debris, digital data and DNA samples, as part of the probe into the cause of the Palisades Fire, according to Kenny Cooper, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Los Angeles Field Division.

“We have a lot of different data that all concluded where this fire started, and the fire behavior from that origin, from that Lachman Fire, was clearly established in the Palisades Fire,” Cooper said at a press briefing last year.

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Dua Lipa and Callum Turner host wedding bash, serenaded by Elton John

Dua Lipa and Callum Turner host wedding bash, serenaded by Elton John
Dua Lipa and Callum Turner host wedding bash, serenaded by Elton John
Dua Lipa and Callum Turner attend the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)

Dua Lipa and her husband Callum Turner hosted a second wedding celebration in Sicily Saturday, after first tying the knot May 31 in London.

Vanity Fair reports the couple wed in Palermo at Villa Valguarnera, an historic 18th century mansion. Elton John, who flew in on a private jet, serenaded the couple with “Your Song” as they said their vows in a gazebo. A wedding banquet followed, featuring local Sicilian specialties, followed by dancing with superstar DJs David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Carl Cox and Peggy Gou manning the sound system.

According to Vanity Fair, the 200 guests included Donatella Versace, Charli XCX, Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, actor Joe Alwyn, Mark Ronson and Olivia Dean.

The wedding weekend began June 5 with a party at the Gallery of Modern Art, where guests were treated to a private tour and cocktails, followed by a reception in a local piazza that had been decorated with vintage cars, lights and music. Also part of the decoration was a huge bookcase filled with real books, since the couple first connected over the fact that they were both reading the same book and were “on the same page,” literally.

As for why they chose Palermo as the site of the wedding, Vanity Fair reports that Dua and Callum spent several days on vacation in the city last year.

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Kamala Harris eyes possible 2028 comeback, but some former allies look to ‘fresh’ faces

Kamala Harris eyes possible 2028 comeback, but some former allies look to ‘fresh’ faces
Kamala Harris eyes possible 2028 comeback, but some former allies look to ‘fresh’ faces
Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat at MEET Las Vegas on May 07, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ian Maule/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris said she’s “thinking about” a 2028 presidential bid, but some previous supporters are unenthusiastic — despite her national name recognition and experience as second in command.

ABC News spoke with more than 15 former donors, fundraisers, campaign aides, Biden White House staffers and current advisers about Harris running again, some of whom asked not to be named to be able to speak freely.

A source familiar with Harris’ thinking told ABC News that she’s considering all options, but hasn’t begun explicitly deliberating on a run with her team.

Kamala Harris vs. Gavin Newsom

Like Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom got his start in San Francisco politics. He is also viewed as a top 2028 presidential contender and may gain some of her supporters, though has not formally committed.

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, one of California’s top powerbrokers, told ABC News while it’s early to speculate, he believes the most “viable” between his two mentees would be Newsom, “because he would not be the most recent loser.”

“When you embrace somebody for the job, you really want to embrace a winner, and Newsom would be what you would have to say at the moment is a winner,” Brown said.

Brown said he was “surprised” that Harris decided not to run for California governor in 2026.

“I would have advised her to be elected governor, so that she would be in the same identical position, if not better than for electability nationally than Newsom. …. If she was in the category of being on January 8, 2027, the governor of California, the dialogue would be about her candidacy, not about anybody else’s,” Brown said.

An influential California donor and early Harris supporter told ABC News, “I have not heard one person suggest it would be good for anything if she ran. … We are looking for someone who is fresh and not imposed on the voters. We understood we were stuck with the situation last time, but this is not the case going forward.”

Asif Mahmood, a bundler who’s backed Harris for 15-plus years, said, “If it is Kamala and Newsom, the money will be divided, and I think Newsom might have little edge on that because he’s currently governor.”

“It is not that I can say with certainty that I will be backing her the way I was backing before, depending on the field,” Mahmood added.

A source close to Harris said that if she ran, she’d be aware that donors and operatives may align with other campaigns.

Sour feelings among some donors

Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign burned through more than $1 billion in 15 weeks — which some fundraisers said has discouraged them from giving large sums to campaigns going forward.

“I think the electorate is going to be extremely hungry for a new, fresh, younger voice with a different perspective, and who can effectively articulate an agenda for the future. … I don’t believe that Kamala is the right person for this moment by any stretch of your imagination,” said a fundraiser who raised money for Harris’ 2024 run.

A longtime Democratic donor who raised money for Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign told ABC News, “I really have not heard anybody say that they want her to run. In fact, it’s the opposite.”

“I really think that anyone who became the nominee after Biden dropped out would have raised a ton of money. … I don’t know a lot of at least big donors who were like, ‘I feel really great about putting this money in for her.’ It was just, she was the top of the ticket,” the donor added.

One Harris 2020 fundraiser who was involved with her 2024 run said, “For somebody who wants to have a future political career, she has done nothing … to maintain any relationships with anybody that I’m aware of … that were her big donors. We’re now two years into it, and I don’t know anybody’s even got a thank you note.”

But a couple fundraisers ABC News spoke with felt differently.

“The average Democratic voter who gives 10 bucks, 20 bucks, right now likes Kamala Harris, so she’ll have an ability to raise a lot of grassroots money, which is the mother of local politics,” said Tom Nides, a former Biden administration official who fundraised for Harris in 2024 when she became the nominee. “The big dollar money is becoming less significant, and they will come on board if they think she’s gonna win.”

In response to a request for comment regarding the seemingly unenthusiastic sentiment among some donors, a spokesperson for Harris said in a statement, “The Vice President is grateful to the supporters who have stood with her. Right now, as Americans look for leadership in the fight against the rollback of their fundamental rights and freedoms — including the Supreme Court’s devastating gutting of the Voting Rights Act — she is focused on electing Democrats up and down the ballot in the midterms and building up state parties for the critical fights ahead.”

‘Biden fatigue’

For some, Harris’ association to former President Joe Biden — who withdrew from the race only after facing mounting pressure from Democrats — will be scrutinized.

“There is a kind of Biden fatigue,” said a former senior campaign adviser who worked on Harris’ 2024 campaign.

“She was obviously his vice president, which is a benefit. … But also, a detriment in other ways, especially when your boss was not very popular when he left office. … I think the donors, and just the electorate writ large, they have an appetite for a fighter, but they kind of want some new faces,” the former adviser said.

One 2020 Harris fundraiser said her opponents would seize on her not calling on Biden to drop out earlier in a potential 2028 debate.

However, Ashley Etienne, the vice president’s former communications director, said Harris distanced herself enough with her book “107 Days,” which details her frustrations with Biden.

“I think that in 2028, if things are continuing as they are now, and there’s the affordability issue, costs, unemployment, lack of democratic principles, I think that Biden thing is not going to be an issue anymore,” said one former senior campaign adviser who remains close to Harris.

Another source close to Harris said enough time would have passed by, and she could address her association with Biden with self-reflection about topics she couldn’t address as vice president.

Decision to not run for governor
Harris’ decision not to run for California governor this year came as a disappointment for some, but was viewed as strategic to others.

“Had Harris entered the race, she would have cleared the field and saved Democrats a lot of pain and uncertainty that developed in this primary,” Mahmood said.

Etienne said if she jumped into the gubernatorial race, it would’ve been a “losing proposition.”

“For somebody who wants to be president, somebody who was already vice president, I didn’t see that as a really good, sound move. … I just didn’t think she gained anything by doing it,” Etienne said.

A longtime supporter of Harris said he was “surprised” by Harris’ decision not to run for governor, because it would’ve been a “significant” role for her, but said at the time she was making the decision, her campaign would have been hit by questions regarding her defense of Biden and why she didn’t press him to drop out sooner.

A former senior campaign adviser who remains close to Harris said there was a sense that Harris had to make a decision on a gubernatorial run too quickly after the presidential campaign.

How Harris may be approaching her 2028 decision
A source close to Harris said that if she ran in 2028, she’d have high name recognition, favorability among Democrats, freedom to articulate her vision without restraints of the vice presidency and more time.

The source added that Harris is focused on the midterms — helping raise money for candidates and state parties — and vocalizing opposition to Republican-led redistricting efforts in the South.

In August, Harris will be delivering a keynote speech to Louisiana Democrats at the party’s annual fundraiser gala, where she will outline what she thinks Democrats must do to counteract the Louisiana vs. Callais decision that gutted Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The former vice president has also been placing calls to federal and state lawmakers impacted by the decision, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus. During the spring, she anchored fundraising events for Democratic state parties in North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia and Nevada.

Her decision could hinge on whether she thinks a presidential campaign or setting up a foundation would be a better vehicle to advance her vision for America, according to the source familiar.

Adrienne Elrod, who served as Harris’ senior adviser and spokesperson in 2024, said, “I think anyone who has valuable ideas about how to move our country forward. … they should run for president, especially if they have broad experience to bring to the table, and she certainly fits that bill.”

Etienne said she thinks Harris should run and said she can distinguish herself from the field as she’s not currently serving in office for the first time in her political career.

“Folks think she’s fantastic, but there was some obvious, baggage that she had, and so how are you in this short period of time addressing that, offloading it, and then coming out with this combination of feeling fresh and new, yet seasoned enough to bring the nation through what Trump is taking us,” Etienne said.

“It’s really hard to run for president, and I think people who haven’t done it underestimate the difficulty and the scrutiny and all the things that come with it at that level, and so in a lot of ways the best way to be prepared to run is to have run already,” said a former senior campaign adviser who remains close to Harris.

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Lawsuit says it seeks to stop ‘deeply corrupt’ UFC event at White House

Lawsuit says it seeks to stop ‘deeply corrupt’ UFC event at White House
Lawsuit says it seeks to stop ‘deeply corrupt’ UFC event at White House
Preparations continue for the Ultimate Fighting Championship Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn on June 05, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — One week ahead of the White House hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, a public interest law firm is attempting to stop the high-profile sports event from taking place.

In a lawsuit filed this weekend, the Public Integrity Project — representing a political activist and Vietnam veteran — claimed the event was improperly permitted, skipped an environmental review, and is an extraordinary use of public land to benefit President Donald Trump and his allies.

They asked a federal judge to declare the authorization for the event, framed around the country’s 250th anniversary, unlawful. Scheduled to take place on Sunday, which is also President Trump’s birthday, the UFC plans to host a mixed martial arts event in a caged octagon on the South Lawn of the White House, as well as host thousands of fans at the nearby Ellipse.

“The President is giving [Dana] White and his company what none have enjoyed before: unfettered access to the White House and Lincoln Memorial to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access,” the lawsuit said.

The White House and UFC did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

Calling the event “deeply corrupt,” the lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration improperly used a temporary rule for “America 250” to bypass the permitting requirements normally required to host events on National Park Service land. They argue that because the event is being organized by a private entity, not the federal government, and is not explicitly “for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence,” the fight does not qualify for that temporary rule.

“It is not in any material sense a ‘celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence’—it is, instead, a celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth,” the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit also alleged that the construction of the 600-ton steel arch over the South Lawn should have undergone an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The lawsuit was filed by a retired government employee who frequently attends protests and other events near the National Mall and White House as well as a Vietnam War veteran who said he frequently enjoys the DC landscape while working part-time as a rideshare driver. The lawsuit alleged they are suffering “aesthetic, dignitary, and procedural harms as a result of Defendants’ unlawful acts.”

Lawsuits challenging Trump’s attempt to reshape the White House and DC have had a mixed track record, in part because judges are often skeptical if plaintiffs have standing to sue. A judge attempted to block construction of Trump’s ballroom before his ruling was lifted by an appeals court. Lawsuits challenging his planned arch, golf course renovations and the repainting of the reflecting pool have so far been unsuccessful in stopping work. As of Sunday, the case was assigned to Judge Amit Mehta, an appointee of former President Barack Obama.

In addition to alleging improper permitting and a lack of a necessary environmental review, the lawsuit alleged that Trump and his allies are profiting from the event. The lawsuit noted that Trump owns some stock in UFC’s parent company, that the UFC is selling VIP packages for more than $1 million while offering sponsorships to an overseas cryptocurrency exchange, and how the fight is being streamed through the UFC’s broadcast partner Paramount Skydance. 

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In brief: ‘Lioness’ season 3 gets release date and more

In brief: ‘Lioness’ season 3 gets release date and more
In brief: ‘Lioness’ season 3 gets release date and more

We now know when season 3 of Lioness is set to debut on Paramount+. The third season of the series that stars Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman will premiere on Aug. 2. From creator Taylor Sheridan, the espionage thriller continues with even more hidden networks, foreign operatives and personal betrayals …

Henry Cavill has joined the cast of Kevin Hart’s upcoming spy comedy. Variety reports that Cavill will star alongside Hart in a Netflix comedy where they’ll play rival spies who cross paths when their wives become friends. According to a synopsis, “their double lives collide in unexpectedly hilarious and dangerous ways, forcing the two men to reluctantly become confidantes and partners on the road to fatherhood.” …

The Harry Potter HBO series is looking to cast another young wizard. Deadline reports that casting directors are searching for a young actor to play the character Colin Creevy in season 2 of the fantasy series based on the books by J.K. Rowling. According to the outlet, auditions are currently underway …

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