6 fighters: Trump's joke answer to why Dana White would silence reporters

President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that his suggestion to name UFC chief executive Dana White as White House press secretary was a joke.

The president spoke to reporters while traveling from his Florida beach club to the White House. He explained that the role was a humorous concept rather than a serious appointment.

Trump said that if White were to lead the daily briefings, he would likely stand beside six prominent fighters. The president argued that this visual arrangement would discourage journalists from asking difficult questions.

He described White as a capable individual and noted that the fighter attended the event to praise the administration. Trump characterized the episode as a bit of fun for the public.

On Saturday, the president posted an AI-generated cartoon on social media. The image showed UFC fighters confronting reporters. One character in the animation represented reporter Josh Hokit. Hokit had made a remark about Michelle Obama during a UFC event held at the White House on Trump’s birthday in June.

The timing of these comments coincided with the release of the first in a series of taxpayer-funded advertisements. The White House created these ads in the lead-up to the recent midterm elections. The clips featured footage from the June event. Dana White described Trump as the toughest and most resilient human being he had ever met.

White has used that description to praise Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. He repeated the sentiment at the Republican National Convention.

The press secretary position has been vacant for three weeks. The previous appointee, Katie Zacharia, resigned after a dispute over her professional credentials. She had described herself as an attorney despite failing the bar exam.

The White House communication strategy remains in transition while the seat is empty. Trump’s Sunday remarks aim to clarify that the Dana White announcement was not a serious consideration for the role.