International
oi-Ashish Rana
US President Donald Trump has made an unusual offer to UFC CEO Dana White. He wants the 57-year-old sports executive to become the next White House press secretary. However, White has reportedly rejected the offer, according to a CNN report.
Former President Donald Trump offered UFC CEO Dana White the White House press secretary position on Truth Social; however, White reportedly rejected the offer, with some suggesting Trump was joking.
Trump announced his idea through a post on Truth Social on Saturday. He praised White as a “violent fighter and warrior” and said he could become a press secretary “like none other”.
Trump Wants Six UFC Fighters To Join White
Trump has also suggested that White should bring six current and former UFC fighters with him to the White House. He shared their photographs and mentioned Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes.
In his post, Trump said the country needed people who could defend it against the “Lunatic Left”. However, a source familiar with the matter told CNN that White had turned down the offer. A White House aide also indicated that Trump might have been joking.
Dana White To Meet Trump On Monday
White was in London for a boxing event when reporters asked him about Trump’s announcement. He said he would travel to Washington, DC, on Monday to meet the president.
“I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about after that,” White told reporters. When asked whether he could manage a White House job along with his existing responsibilities, he said, “Yeah, I got a lot of jobs already.”
White also shared Trump’s post on Instagram with a picture of himself standing behind the White House press briefing podium. The picture carried the words “On to the next chapter”.
Why Is The White House Looking For A New Press Secretary?
The position has remained vacant since Karoline Leavitt left the administration in August. She had served for around 18 months and stepped down to spend more time with her young family. She later joined Fox News as a contributor.
Katie Zacharia took over the position after Leavitt but left within less than a week. Her short tenure followed a difficult first press briefing.
Trump’s Long Friendship With UFC Chief
Trump and White have known each other since the early 2000s, when Trump’s Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City hosted UFC events. Their relationship became stronger after White publicly supported Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016.
White has also spoken at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Trump has regularly attended UFC events with him since returning to the White House in January 2025.
In June 2026, Trump hosted a UFC event on the White House South Lawn to mark America’s 250th anniversary of independence and his 80th birthday.
