The pushback over the UFC Freedom 250 event held at the White House on Sunday is showing no signs of going away, as US president Donald Trump has been criticised for using the fights to promote his cryptocurrency.

Live coverage of the event on Paramount+ revealed that fighters would be paid a $250,000 performance fee in USD1 – a cryptocurrency issued by the Trump-backed World Liberty Financial – and California governor Gavin Newsom was among those who called out Trump’s self-promotion through Freedom 250.

Writing on X/Twitter, he said: “The White House was built to serve the American people.

“Tonight it was used to promote a company the President owns stock in, sell subscriptions, promote corporate sponsors, push Trump crypto,…