Trump says his offer of White House press secretary job to Dana White was a joke

The post and the offer

On Saturday, 7 November, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had offered the job of White House press secretary to Dana White, who has led the Ultimate Fighting Championship for more than two decades. The post described White as a violent fighter and warrior and said he would bring several current and former UFC champions in as his aides. It added that they were needed to defend the country against what it called the deranged left. Trump wrote the message while at his golf club in Florida.

Trump says it was a joke

On Sunday, 8 November, Trump told reporters he had only been kidding and that the idea was just a little fun. He said that people often react to such a joke by calling it a very good idea, and he added that White loved the idea and that there is only one Dana. The same day Trump published a video in the style of The Simpsons showing White at a lectern in the White House briefing room, answering questions from reporters while five men stand around him and two female figures stand to the right.

Dana White's response

White was in London on Saturday for a boxing match. Asked about the post there, he said he planned to fly to Washington straight afterwards and meet Trump. When asked how he would balance the role with his current positions in combat sports, he appeared puzzled and replied that he already had a lot of jobs. He declined to say what conversations he had held with Trump. Trump confirmed on Sunday that the two would meet at the White House on Monday, 9 November, but said the visit was for other reasons and gave no further detail.

The vacant press secretary post

The White House press secretary post has been empty since last month, when the previous holder left after only a few days in the role. She had given just one briefing to reporters before leaving. One account describes her exit as a dismissal that came about a week after she took up the post. Trump's post on Saturday, 7 November, was the first public sign that he was looking to fill the role with someone from outside the usual political pool. The offer also came as Democrats prepared to take control of Congress, a context that one commentary linked to a more combative stance toward the opposition.

Trump's long ties to the UFC

Trump's relationship with the UFC goes back to 2001, when he owned the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City and agreed to host one of the organisation's events at a time when it struggled to find venues and faced bans in several places. White was then among those who had kept their distance from the league, while Trump saw its commercial potential. In June, Trump marked his 80th birthday by hosting a mixed martial arts tournament organised by the UFC on the White House grounds. Commentators describe White as one of Trump's oldest and most loyal allies, with access to an audience that traditional politics finds hard to reach.