US President Donald Trump has unveiled a plan to host a UFC fight on White House grounds, as part of celebrations to mark 250 years of American independence.

“We’re going to have some incredible events,” Trump said on a visit to Iowa on Thursday (local time).

“Some professional events, some amateur events. But the UFC fight is going to be a big deal, too.”

He spoke at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, a year and a day before the 250th anniversary of the 1776 ratification of the US Declaration of Independence. The Trump administration is planning 12 months of events to mark the milestone signing — including the UFC fight.

“Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honour of America 250,” Trump said.

“Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We’re going to have a UFC fight. We’re going to have a UFC fight — think of this — on the grounds of the White House.”

Trump is a known UFC fan, attending several of its mixed martial arts matches in recent months. He is also close friends with league president Dana White – who introduced the then presidential candidate on the stage at last year’s Republican National Convention.

“We have a lot of land there, we’re going to build a little — we’re not, Dana is going to do it. Dana is great, one of a kind — going to be UFC fight, championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 to 25,000 people, and we’re going to do that as part of ‘250’,” Trump said.

While further details on the White House fight are still unclear, presidential press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was “dead serious”. CBS News said a UFC spokesperson had also confirmed the plan.

Trump’s speech in Iowa was part of a victory lap after his signature tax-cut package cleared its final hurdle in the US Congress earlier on Thursday. The so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” will return to Trump to be signed on Friday, US Independence Day.

Its 218-214 vote of approval on Thursday is a significant victory for Trump and will fund his immigration crackdown, make his 2017 tax cuts permanent and deliver tax breaks that he promised during his 2024 campaign.

It also cuts health and food safety net programs and cancels dozens of green energy incentives. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the legislation will add $US3.4 trillion ($A5.2 trillion) to America’s $US36.2 trillion ($A55.1 trillion) debt.

Republicans said the legislation will lower taxes for Americans across the income spectrum and spur economic growth.

Every Democrat in Congress voted against it, blasting the bill as a giveaway to the wealthy that would leave millions uninsured.

The spending cuts largely come from Medicaid, the health program that covers 71 million low-income Americans. The bill will tighten enrolment standards, institute a work requirement and clamp down on a funding mechanism used by states to boost federal payments – changes the CBO says will leave nearly 12 million people uninsured.

On the other side of the ledger, the bill staves off tax increases that were due to hit most Americans at the end of this year, when Trump’s 2017 individual and business cuts were due to expire. Those cuts are now permanent, while tax breaks for parents and businesses are expanded.

The bill also sets up new tax breaks for tipped income, overtime pay, seniors and auto loans, fulfilling Trump campaign promises.

-with AAP