Zac Brown Band Defends White House UFC Anthem Slot for June 14
Zac Brown Band is set to put country music on the lawn of the White House on June 14, and Zac Brown is not backing away from the booking. He said he will sing the national anthem before UFC Freedom 250, calling the appearance a patriotic assignment rather than a political one.
White House Lawn, June 14
Brown said he made the choice to perform because of the troops in attendance and the chance to honor the country, with about 8,000 active service members expected at the event. He also called the White House card history, saying it is the first sporting event on the lawn of the White House.
“Man, I’m there for the troops, man. I’m there to honor America.” Brown said on The Pat McAfee Show, adding, “This is patriotism, not politics for me.”
He paired that line with a sharper one: “I mean, fuck all the division.” For a performer who has spent years operating in the broad middle of country radio, the message was less about hedging and more about drawing a hard line around intent.
Dana White and the Fight Card
Brown said Dana White gave him the opportunity to do it, and he called the UFC his favorite sport. He said, “I’m honored that Dana [White’s] given me the opportunity to do this.” That puts the moment squarely inside the UFC’s own push to turn the White House card into more than a standard fight-night stop.
The scheduled fights give the event its competitive weight. Ilia Topuria is set to face Justin Gaethje, while Alex Pereira is scheduled to fight Ciryl Gane, and the card will stream live on Paramount+.
Saturday After the Weigh-Ins
Brown said he will also play after the weigh-ins for the concert on Saturday, before returning for the anthem with the Marine Band. “We’re going to be playing after the weigh-ins for the concert on Saturday and then getting to do the anthem for this with the Marine Band is going to be sick,” he said.
He added, “I’m so excited for this weekend,” and, “And it’s history, man, getting to be part of American history, man.” The backlash around his White House association has already done its work: it turned one anthem slot into a public statement, and Brown has chosen to answer it in the plainest terms he has.
