Trump jokes about offering Dana White White House press job
The UFC boss will meet with the president Monday, though Trump says the position is not on the agenda.
By Daniela Ortega ·
President Donald Trump told reporters on a Sunday night tarmac in Palm Beach, Florida, that he was joking when he announced he had offered Dana White the role of White House press secretary. The comment ended more than 24 hours of speculation about whether the proposal was real.
Trump made the initial announcement on Truth Social on Saturday. He wrote that he was pleased to offer the position to White, describing the UFC chief executive as a fierce fighter and warrior. The post quickly generated confusion among observers who could not tell if the offer was serious.
The job has been vacant since Katie Zacharia left the post last month. She had only served for five days after replacing Karoline Leavitt, who announced in August that she was leaving to spend more time with her family. Leavitt had held the position since Trump returned to power in January of last year.
After Trump’s Saturday post, White shared an image on Instagram that appeared to be generated by artificial intelligence. The image showed him standing behind the White House podium. He captioned the post with the words "On to the next chapter." He also posted a screenshot of Trump’s message to his Instagram stories.
White spoke on Saturday night during a boxing event in London. He said he was traveling to Washington that night and had a meeting scheduled with Trump for Monday. Trump confirmed on Sunday that the meeting would still happen. He clarified that the visit was unrelated to the press secretary job, noting that White was likely already heading to the capital for other reasons.
Trump and White have maintained a friendship for several years. The president has attended many UFC fights during his time in the White House. Earlier this year, White organized a UFC event in the South Lawn of the White House. The fight was part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the United States. Numerous Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers attended the event in July.
The uncertainty over the press secretary role coincides with other personnel changes in the administration. On Friday, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles announced her departure. Trump named his longtime aide Stephen Miller as her replacement. Wiles became the seventh woman to leave the Trump administration this year. A White House spokesman did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the situation.
