Hillary Clinton faced renewed criticism this week after speaking out against President Donald Trump’s planned UFC event at the White House, with Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators accusing the former first lady of hypocrisy by revisiting controversies from the Clinton administration.
Clinton shared a social media post arguing that the White House belongs to the American people, not any one president. “Remember, during today’s literal cage match on the White House grounds: No matter what, it’s not his house. It’s our house,” she wrote while promoting campaign merchandise supporting candidates and organizations she said would respect the institution.
Her remarks quickly sparked backlash from conservatives. Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee responded by referencing former President Bill Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky and the controversy surrounding overnight stays for political donors in the Lincoln Bedroom. Burchett also mentioned reports of damage to the White House following the Clintons’ departure in 2001.
Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Buzz Patterson, who carried the presidential emergency “nuclear football” during the Clinton administration, criticized Hillary Clinton’s comments by pointing to allegations surrounding Bill Clinton’s conduct while in office. Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton also joined the criticism, referencing past accusations that White House furniture was improperly removed during the Clinton transition. The official Republican Party account similarly urged Clinton to “sit this one out.”
Some critics revived longstanding claims about damage and missing items after the Clintons left the White House. A Government Accountability Office review requested at the time estimated approximately $15,000 in transition-related damage. While some incidents were described as intentional pranks, Clinton supporters argued that similar behavior had occurred during previous presidential transitions and that the overall extent of the damage had been overstated.
Meanwhile, Trump’s White House UFC event continued moving forward after a federal judge declined to block it in response to a last-minute legal challenge. The event was organized as part of celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary and coincided with Trump’s 80th birthday. Supporters described it as a unique patriotic celebration centered on one of the president’s favorite sports, while critics questioned whether a mixed martial arts event was an appropriate use of White House grounds.
Clinton had first criticized the UFC plans last month before renewing her objections this week. Instead of keeping attention on the event itself, her comments reignited debate over controversies from the Clinton years in the White House, adding another chapter to the longstanding political rivalry between Trump and Clinton nearly a decade after their 2016 presidential election contest.
