The Pentagon told junior troops they’re invited to Trump’s UFC event at the White House, then the memo told them ‘no fatties allowed’

The Pentagon is recruiting junior military personnel to attend a UFC fight card on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14, but the invitation comes with strict physical requirements. Out of an estimated 4,300 total seats, 1,200 have been set aside for active-duty service members. As detailed by BroBible, the fine print on who is eligible to attend is drawing attention inside the military.

Internal memos circulating within the Air Force and other service branches specify that officials are looking to fill those seats with junior enlisted personnel and junior officers. There is a significant financial catch: the Defense Department has made clear that travel costs are member-procured, meaning troops in the lowest pay grades are expected to cover their own transportation and accommodations to attend.

The physical requirements are proving even more controversial than the financial burden. One memo circulating among Air Force personnel stipulates that attendees must meet current waist-to-height ratio standards and current physical fitness requirements, tied to broader changes implemented by the Secretary of War on September 30, 2025.

The military’s appearance standards for the event are unusually blunt

As of January 1, 2026, the military shifted away from traditional height and weight tables in favor of body composition assessments using a waist-to-height ratio. The official policy sets an upper limit of less than 0.55, with any service member at or above that threshold subject to further body fat calculations capped at 18 percent for men and 26 percent for women.

Beyond the formal documentation, the messaging passed down to troops has reportedly been more direct. Sources indicate that instructions sent to potential attendees amount to a directive of “no fatties,” with a primary stated goal of ensuring military attendees look good on camera. A missing retired Air Force general case has separately kept the service branch in the news in recent days. One defense official described the instructions as a clear preference from senior Pentagon leadership for service members who will project a specific image during the televised event.

The remaining seats at the June 14 event will be split between the White House, TKO, and the UFC. Dana White has already begun inviting a high-profile guest list that includes Adam Sandler, Guy Ritchie, Tom Brady, Jared Leto, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, and Mario Lopez. Amid ongoing scrutiny of the administration’s public image, the appearance-based vetting of military attendees adds another dimension to how the White House is managing optics at the event.

Troops who do secure a spot will be required to wear their short sleeve dress uniforms for the duration of the event, and all travel and lodging expenses remain their own responsibility.