US President Donald Trump has clarified that he was only kidding after publicly asking Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boss Dana White press secretary duties, stating the initial invitation was just for fun. According to the BBC, the remarks followed a social media post where the president had formally offered the vacant administration position.
Initially, Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Saturday to announce that he had offered the role to the combat sports executive. In his online statement, the president wrote that Dana White press secretary duties would be handled unlike any other, adding a request for the UFC chief to bring current and former mixed martial arts fighters as assistants to help defend against political opponents.
Clarifying the Dana White Press Secretary Remarks
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump walked back the seriousness of the proposal. He noted that while the executive loves the idea, the invitation was merely a bit of lighthearted entertainment. The president mentioned that White is scheduled to visit Washington on Monday for other reasons.
When asked about the offer during a Saturday news conference, White declined to confirm whether he would accept the position, noting that he already holds numerous professional responsibilities. White leads the UFC and the PowerSlap promotion league, recently launched Zuffa Boxing, and serves on the board of Meta.
Background on the Vacancy and Political Context
The White House press secretary role remains vacant following the departure of Katie Zacharia in October, who resigned after serving for less than five days. Zacharia had succeeded Karoline Leavitt, the youngest press secretary in US history, who held the position at the start of Trump’s second term.
Trump’s initial social media post regarding the position followed significant political setbacks for the Republican Party in the midterm elections, where the party lost its majority in both houses of Congress. Despite the joking nature of the announcement, White has maintained a close relationship with the president, speaking at Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020, and 2024, appearing at the 2024 election victory speech, and organizing a cage match event on the White House lawn over the summer.
Source: Trump says he was 'kidding' about Dana White press secretary offer (source-feed timestamp 2026-11-09T08:49:17+00:00). AI-assisted report based on the cited linked article and its RSS feed; details were not independently verified.
Related coverage
Context matters. Read about our editorial standards and corrections policy.
Join the conversation