Donald Trump has offered UFC chief Dana White the job of White House press secretary. Trump announced the offer in a post on Truth Social on Saturday, 7 November, while he spent the day at his golf club in Florida.
In the same post, Trump asked White to bring six UFC fighters with him as assistants. He named Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison.
“Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!” Trump wrote.
What Trump Offered Dana White
Trump called White “the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior” in his post. He said the fighters should join White because “We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left.” The White House did not answer questions about the post on Saturday. A spokesperson for the UFC did not reply at once either. White was in London on Saturday for a boxing event.
The press secretary is the president’s chief spokesperson. That person speaks to reporters almost every day, answers hard questions, and explains the president’s decisions to the public. It is one of the most seen jobs in the White House, and it has been empty for months.
White Declines, Signals Stay Mixed
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that White turned the offer down. But the full picture is still not clear. One aide told CNN that Trump was joking when he made the offer. White himself shared Trump’s post on Instagram, next to a photo of himself standing at the White House briefing room podium, with the words “On to the next chapter.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung reposted Trump’s message and added, “Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!” TMZ reported that White plans to talk with Trump face to face on Monday. So the final answer is still open: one report says no, one aide says it was a joke, and White’s own post keeps people guessing.
Press Secretary Chair Empty Since August
Karoline Leavitt held the job for a year and a half. She left at the end of August, saying she wanted more time with her young family. She later joined Fox News as a contributor. In October, Katie Zacharia took the job. She left after only five days, following one rocky briefing. Her short stay was the shortest for a press secretary in history. Since then, the chair has stayed empty, and Trump still has no chief spokesperson.
That gap matters now more than ever. Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, and they have pledged to investigate the administration. A president facing daily questions from reporters and a hostile Congress needs a strong voice at the podium, and right now that voice is missing.
| Person | Time in job | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Karoline Leavitt | Jan 2025 – Aug 2026 | Left to spend time with family; joined Fox News |
| Katie Zacharia | Oct 2026 – 5 days | Left after one rocky briefing; shortest stint ever |
| Dana White | Offered 7 Nov 2026 | Declined, a source says; final answer still unclear |
Why Trump Picked UFC Boss
Trump and White have been close friends for years. White spoke at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024. He helped Trump reach young male voters, a group that played a big part in Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025.
In June, Trump brought White and the UFC to the White House South Lawn for a fight night marking America’s 250th year and Trump’s 80th birthday. A wire-mesh Octagon stood near the mansion under a spaceship-like metal arch called “The Claw”. White called it “a one-of-one” experience. But those young men moved toward the Democrats in Tuesday’s midterm elections, helping the party win both chambers of Congress.
The offer also came one day after Trump replaced his longtime chief of staff Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller, known for hard-line immigration policies. Miller starts on Monday. Trump told CBS News on Friday: “I’ll be doing maybe a few changes.”
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that White declined the offer. One aide said Trump was joking. White has not given a clear public answer yet, though he shared Trump’s post on Instagram with the words “On to the next chapter.”
Karoline Leavitt held the job for a year and a half until August 2026. Katie Zacharia followed in October but left after five days, the shortest stint in the job’s history.
White is a longtime friend of Trump, spoke at three Republican conventions, and helped Trump connect with young male voters. Trump has also brought the UFC to the White House lawn for a fight night.
