Trump's UFC Arena Lights Blind Pilot, Claims It's '10 Times Worse' Than Laser Strike

Donald Trump's UFC ring is causing chaos, with a pilot reporting near blindness from the blinding lights of the structure.

Aaron Parnas, a political commentator, disclosed on X that a commercial pilot filed safety reports after experiencing severe visual impairment while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in D.C.

The pilot stated, "A commercial airline pilot filed safety reports after nearly being blinded by lights from Donald Trump’s UFC structure when flying into Washington, D.C.'s Reagan airport."

According to MeidasTouch, the aviation safety documents detail "powerful lighting used during the construction and testing of the UFC octagon on the White House grounds," which allegedly shone directly into the cockpit.

The unnamed pilot informed the publication that the lights "illuminated the cockpit during the final stages of landing, a critical phase of flight when pilots rely heavily on visual references," as reported by the Mirror US.

This pilot described the incident as "10 times worse than any laser-illumination event" they had previously encountered. The UFC ring is currently set up on the White House South Lawn ahead of an event scheduled for Sunday.

The octagonal ring is situated beneath a claw-shaped framework, and the pilot noted that the "powerful white event lighting" resembled a laser.

The pilot remarked, "[The lighting] created a similar, and potentially more dangerous, effect by overwhelming pilots' vision during approach."

Following the incident, the pilot submitted reports to both the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), in addition to contacting a local FAA office.

Aviation experts emphasize that unexpected bright light exposure can temporarily impair a pilot's night vision, particularly during approach and landing phases.

These moments are critical in any flight, as crews switch between instrument readings and external visual references.

MeidasTouch reported that FAA staff instructed the pilot to reach out to the White House directly regarding their safety concerns.

The reports "raise questions" about how effectively the White House's event planners coordinated with aviation authorities.

Reagan Airport is uniquely positioned, surrounded by landmarks and located within some of the world's most restricted airspace. Aircraft approaching the airport frequently fly over significant sites like the Lincoln Memorial and the White House.