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Trump Owns Shares in Company Hosting U.F.C. Bout as Part of His Vast Holdings
Trump Owns Shares in Company Hosting U.F.C. Bout as Part of His Vast Holdings
The Trump Organization says the president has no control over his stock positions, including that of TKO Group, which runs the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The precise size of President Trump’s stake in TKO Group, U.F.C.’s parent company, is unknown. Al Drago/Getty Images
By Ben Protess
Ben Protess covers the Trump Organization. He reported from New York.
June 14, 2026
Fighters, promoters and television streamers all stand to gain from the Ultimate Fighting Championship bout that President Trump is hosting on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday. ... As a small investor in TKO Group Holdings, U.F.C.’s parent company, the president could benefit as well. ... In March, one of Mr. Trump’s brokerage accounts purchased between $15,000 and $50,000 in shares of the company, according to a recently released financial disclosure. A Trump account also held a small number of shares in TKO Group as of 2024, another disclosure form shows.
Ethics groups have lamented that the president is using government land to hold an event that could theoretically benefit him. One group sued, seeking to block the fight, and cited Mr. Trump’s shares in TKO Group. A judge ruled on Friday that the bout could proceed.
The shares represent a tiny fraction of Mr. Trump’s overall investment portfolio, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and spans hundreds of stocks and bonds. The precise size of Mr. Trump’s stake in TKO Group, and whether it has changed since March, is unknown. ... There is also no indication that the president was involved in the trade.
{snip}
The fight on Sunday, which the president is holding on his 80th birthday and in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, is expected to be a big moneymaker for U.F.C. and other Trump allies. ... Paramount Skydance, the media company owned by Larry and David Ellison, who are friendly with the president, is streaming the event. ... It is unclear, however, whether Mr. Trump and other TKO Group shareholders will immediately benefit. The stock was down more than 4 percent on Friday.
Ben Protess is an investigative reporter at The Times, covering President Trump.
The Trump Organization says the president has no control over his stock positions, including that of TKO Group, which runs the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The precise size of President Trump’s stake in TKO Group, U.F.C.’s parent company, is unknown. Al Drago/Getty Images
By Ben Protess
Ben Protess covers the Trump Organization. He reported from New York.
June 14, 2026
Fighters, promoters and television streamers all stand to gain from the Ultimate Fighting Championship bout that President Trump is hosting on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday. ... As a small investor in TKO Group Holdings, U.F.C.’s parent company, the president could benefit as well. ... In March, one of Mr. Trump’s brokerage accounts purchased between $15,000 and $50,000 in shares of the company, according to a recently released financial disclosure. A Trump account also held a small number of shares in TKO Group as of 2024, another disclosure form shows.
Ethics groups have lamented that the president is using government land to hold an event that could theoretically benefit him. One group sued, seeking to block the fight, and cited Mr. Trump’s shares in TKO Group. A judge ruled on Friday that the bout could proceed.
The shares represent a tiny fraction of Mr. Trump’s overall investment portfolio, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and spans hundreds of stocks and bonds. The precise size of Mr. Trump’s stake in TKO Group, and whether it has changed since March, is unknown. ... There is also no indication that the president was involved in the trade.
{snip}
The fight on Sunday, which the president is holding on his 80th birthday and in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, is expected to be a big moneymaker for U.F.C. and other Trump allies. ... Paramount Skydance, the media company owned by Larry and David Ellison, who are friendly with the president, is streaming the event. ... It is unclear, however, whether Mr. Trump and other TKO Group shareholders will immediately benefit. The stock was down more than 4 percent on Friday.
Ben Protess is an investigative reporter at The Times, covering President Trump.