A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
President Trump celebrated his 80th birthday and the country's 250th birthday last night with a spectacle never before seen at the White House. It was a UFC fight right on the White House lawn.
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UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTATOR: We are live from the South Lawn of the White House.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
We should do things on NPR like that sometimes.
MARTÍNEZ: (Laughter).
INSKEEP: Anyway, mixed martial arts fighters went after each other in a scene that included the White House back side, along with giant ads for Monster Energy drink, Bud Light and sports betting. The Paramount+ streaming program included shots inside the White House and fighters warming up in a historic room in the building next door.
MARTÍNEZ: Steve Inskeep's a grappler. That's why I wouldn't take him on. NPR's Mara Liasson has been covering all of this. So, Mara, this wasn't just a presidential birthday bash. I mean, this was a major political event. So what was President Trump conveying with this fight?
MARA LIASSON, BYLINE: That's right. I think on the simplest level, Trump wanted a spectacle for his own entertainment for his 80th birthday. Happy birthday, Mr. President. But the cage match at the White House also happened in the middle of an election season where age and generational change are big issues. Trump's critics say he's been showing signs of decline. He's closed his eyes at White House meetings. There's been a lot of talk about his health. The White House denies that he's ever fallen asleep.
But the fight last night certainly contradicted the image of decline. Trump's brand is strength and toughness - fight, fight, fight. It's also spectacle and hype. And it was an unprecedented scene. As Steve said, fighters warmed up barefoot in these grand meeting rooms at the White House filled with historic paintings. There was a prefight broadcast from inside the White House, and even the commentators kept on saying how surreal it felt. But Trump is a base politician, and there is a lot of overlap between the UFC fans - young men, particularly white non-college-educated men, who are a critical part of his MAGA base. And even though his support is still very strong among that demographic, it has slipped a lot.
MARTÍNEZ: Right. So let's get into some of the criticism. Is the criticism mostly coming from Democrats, or is Trump facing maybe broader blowback on this?
LIASSON: Well, mostly from Democrats, but Republicans will complain privately. Democrats say that Trump is spending money on his personal whims - a birthday party, a grand arch, a ballroom - not worrying about problems that ordinary people are facing. And for Republicans, their concern is just that they want him to focus more on issues that might actually help them keep their majorities in Congress in the midterms.
MARTÍNEZ: OK. So what do they want him to be saying out loud? What do they want him talking about?
LIASSON: What they'd like him to be talking about is ordinary people's concerns - first and foremost, high prices. They want him to tell them how he plans to bring down gas prices, how he plans to keep rural hospitals open, how he plans to make it easier to buy a home, etc.
MARTÍNEZ: So what does the White House say in response to all that?
LIASSON: Well, the White House says that Trump, like any president, can and should walk and chew gum at the same time. They say there's nothing preventing him from having a birthday celebration or worrying about the aesthetics of the National Mall while also doing the work of a president. And they point to the deal with Iran as a perfect example because just before the fight began, Trump announced a deal to end hostilities there. That's a big promise he's been making - to end the unpopular war. And also, he left immediately after the fight to fly to France for the G7 summit, so a UFC fight and a trip to an international summit all in one day. The White House says that proves their point.
MARTÍNEZ: That's NPR's Mara Liasson. Thanks a lot.
LIASSON: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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