Trump celebrates 80th birthday with spectacle at White House

Donald Trump will celebrate his 80th birthday on Sunday with a UFC fight at the White House, as the oldest-ever US president looks to eclipse recent political setbacks with a massive spectacle.

The weekend’s pageantry — featuring a motocross competition and “who’s who” of legislators and top executives — reflects a leader “intent on projecting an image of relentless energy,” The New York Times wrote, amid mounting legal defeats, a festering Iran war, higher inflation, and dwindling approval.

While the event could energize Trump’s blue-collar male supporters, the government sees it “as a moment to hype America itself,” Semafor’s Shelby Talcott wrote. But even Trump allies fear it could distract from the midterms: “Voters are exhausted of the spectacles,” one said.