Trump offers UFC chief Dana White vacant White House press secretary post

US President Donald Trump has offered the vacant White House press secretary position to Ultimate Fighting Championship chief Dana White, describing the longtime ally as a “violent Fighter and Warrior” and urging him to accept. White has not formally confirmed that he will take the job, while CNN, citing a source familiar with the matter, reported that he declined it. Trump announced the proposal on Truth Social on Saturday.

He said White should bring several UFC fighters as assistants, including Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison. Trump wrote that the group was needed to defend the administration against what he called the “Lunatic Left”. White subsequently posted an image of himself behind the lectern in the White House briefing room with the caption “On to the next chapter”.

He also reposted Trump’s message. The meaning of the image was unclear: the BBC said it could have been tongue-in-cheek, while France 24 described the image as possibly AI-generated. White was in London for a boxing event and had not provided a direct response in the reports.

The White House press secretary post has been without a permanent occupant since October 16, after Katie Zacharia left following a five-day tenure. She had replaced Karoline Leavitt, who departed at the end of August. The South China Morning Post said the White House did not immediately confirm Trump’s announcement or respond to inquiries.

White, 57, has led the UFC since 2001 and has been its chief executive since 2023. He also heads Zuffa Boxing and Power Slap, and was named last year as one of three new board members of Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The BBC noted that these commitments would make the press secretary role, one of the most demanding jobs in US politics, difficult to combine with his existing work.

Trump and White have been allies for decades. White supported Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016 and spoke at Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024. White also appeared with Trump during his 2024 victory speech.

Trump supported the UFC when other venues were reluctant to host its events, including by staging fights at the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City in 2001. The offer came during a period of upheaval in the administration. Trump’s party suffered major losses in the midterm elections, and he had just announced Stephen Miller as his next chief of staff.

The White House’s continued lack of a confirmed chief spokesperson therefore remains unresolved, regardless of whether White ultimately accepts or rejects the public proposal.