Trump Offers White House Press Secretary Role to UFC CEO Dana White

The Offer

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday he was offering the job of White House press secretary to UFC President and CEO Dana White.

"I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. "Dana, please take the job!"

The White House has been without a press secretary since October 16 when Katie Zacharia left the position after less than a week on the job.

White's Response and Proposed Advisers

White did not explicitly accept the job. The UFC boss posted a photo, possibly AI-generated, that showed him behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room, captioned "On to the next chapter."

Trump listed six UFC fighters he hoped White would bring to the White House as advisers: Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris. Trump said two of the fighters are from Russia and one is Brazilian. France 24 reported that two athletes are from Russia's Dagestan region, Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov, and that Amanda Nunes is a Brazilian native who became an American citizen last year.

Trump wrote, "We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left."

The White House amplified the announcement by publishing a screenshot of the president's post on one of its official accounts.

Relationship Between Trump and White

Trump and White are old friends, and Trump has often tried to associate his MAGA brand of politics with the hugely popular UFC. On his 80th birthday in June, UFC held a bloody cage match on the White House South Lawn. Trump has also attended bouts in Miami, New York and New Jersey since winning his second White House term. When Trump won reelection in 2024, White appeared alongside the Republican for his victory speech. Since Trump's reelection, White has joined the board of directors of Meta, which many saw as a sign of the tech company's conservative shift.

Why it matters

The White House press secretary position has been vacant since October 16. Trump's public offer to a UFC executive, without immediate White House confirmation, adds uncertainty to who will lead White House communications.

Sources

• ctvnews.ca: Trump offers UFC chief Dana White top communication job
• france24.com: 'A violent fighter and warrior': Trump offers press secretary role to UFC chief Dana White - France 24
• thestar.com: Trump says he's asked UFC's Dana White to be his press secretary. No one will say if he's joking
• deadline.com: Donald Trump Says He's Offered Press Secretary Job to UFC's Dana White

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.