France Postpones International G7 Summit to Avoid Competing with Donald Trump’s Birthday UFC Event

President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday party is seemingly taking precedence over the G7 summit of international leaders.

Politico reported on Friday, Jan. 9, that France had officially rescheduled the annual Group of Seven summit to avoid a conflict with Trump’s birthday plans on June 14.

France was set to host the group — which also consists of leaders from Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the U.S. — in Evian-les-Bains from June 14 to June 16.

However, the event has now been moved from June 15 to June 17.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s office avoided mention of Trump’s planned UFC fight at the White House in its statement to Politico, saying the rescheduling was simply “the result of our consultations with G7 partners.”

Asked about the schedule change, a White House official tells PEOPLE, “As the leader of the free world, our partners believed that President Trump’s attendance at the G7 Summit was essential. They kindly shifted dates to accommodate the US President’s schedule.”

In 2025, Trump celebrated his birthday — which is also Flag Day — with a massive military parade in Washington, D.C., that also honored the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.

The president confirmed last October that he would be hosting a UFC fight on the White House lawn as part of his 2026 birthday celebration and America’s 250th anniversary festivities.

“On June 14 next year, we’re gonna have a big UFC fight at the White House, right at the White House, on the grounds of the White House,” Trump, 79, said in an Oct. 5 speech at the Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

The month prior, the White House shared a mock-up of the massive octagon and bleacher seating they planned to build for the event, alongside the caption, “SEE YOU ON THE SOUTH LAWN @UFC.”

While speaking to a crowd at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in July 2025, Trump called out his long-standing relationship with UFC owner and CEO Dana White.

“Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We’re going to have a UFC fight. We’re going to have a UFC fight — think of this — on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there,” Trump said at the time.

The politician attended multiple UFC fights during his 2024 presidential campaign, including a March 2024 event in Miami where the crowd chanted “F— Joe Biden!” The following November, he and Elon Musk also shared photos from UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden alongside White, Kid Rock and other fans.

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White, 56, spoke with CBS Mornings‘ Gayle King, Nate Burleson and Vladimir Duthiers on Jan. 8 and revealed that the logistics of the fight were recently finalized.

“It’s looking like we’ll have 5,000 people live on the White House lawn,” he shared. “And then across the street is the park. It’s called the Ellipse, I think. And we can have 85,000 people there.”

“We’re going to have big screens and we’re going to have a stage,” he continued. “We’re going to, you know, have music throughout the day. We’re basically going to take over D.C. that whole week with lots of different things for fight fans and then obviously, you know, [it’s ]a one-of-one event to be able to have it at the White House.”

White also revealed that the fighters, who have yet to be announced, will walk from the Oval Office to the Octagon. While the CBS Mornings hosts assumed that Trump would play a part in that ceremonial walk-out, White couldn’t confirm anything yet.

“I don’t know if he’s doing the walk, how involved he’s going to be, but he’ll be there,” he said.