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nitpicked

(2,004 posts)
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 02:35 PM Monday

The photo that proves America has finally reached peak absurdity under Trump

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ufc-claw-white-house-ballroom-trump-b2987428.html

he photograph is almost too on-the-nose to qualify as satire. Drone footage of Washington, DC this weekend showed the results of the last few months of Trumpism, an architectural mishmash of pure, unfettered absurdity.

In the foreground is a half-built UFC octagon known as ‘The Claw’, constructed for a fight that supposedly celebrates 250 years of America and will also conveniently fall on Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.

In the middle ground are the half-demolished remains of the East Wing of the White House, alongside a large building site surrounding the “whoops, actually it’s taxpayer-funded!” ballroom Trump decided he just had to have. A federal judge recently stalled its construction but, since the president predicted “death and destruction” if it didn’t continue, we can presume that the ballroom build will resume very soon.

And of course, in the background, barely visible through the debris, is America’s seat of democracy: the White House itself.
(snip)

((sorry, don't know how to post the picture, help welcome))
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The photo that proves America has finally reached peak absurdity under Trump (Original Post) nitpicked Monday OP
The pic Celerity Monday #1
Looks like the aftermath of an explosion. Which it is. FadedMullet Monday #3
Before and after... sop Monday #4
We're living Idiocracy in real time. aeromanKC Monday #2
Childish J_William_Ryan Monday #5
Looks like the Moran State Fair to me. yonder Monday #6
The UFC fight is primarily for trump's base voters. Omnipresent Monday #7
The arch for the fight looks like a half ferris wheel to me. wnylib Monday #8
I d k about an "Octagon"..... electric_blue68 Yesterday #9
Fucking criminal dalton99a 21 hrs ago #10

Omnipresent

(7,540 posts)
7. The UFC fight is primarily for trump's base voters.
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 03:53 PM
Monday

I don’t believe the event will impress enough of them to turn out to vote for trump candidates.

electric_blue68

(27,467 posts)
9. I d k about an "Octagon".....
Tue Jun 2, 2026, 01:10 AM
Yesterday

That 4 arched structure is pretty similar to the gigantic structure (minus the central upper light tower, and flexible, openable conical suspended LED screen) that towered over U2 during their 360 tour 2009 - 2011.
It was called "The Claw".
I know bc I was there.

The rest of the grounds? What an effin' mess. Bastard!!

ETA - OK I guess the octigon part is the seating area's shape.

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