Another setback for Trump as Dana White rejects White House press secretary offer
Trump offered UFC chief Dana White the press secretary role on Truth Social, but White turned it down amid administration uncertainty.
Quick Look
- President Donald Trump offered UFC chief Dana White the White House press secretary position on Truth Social, calling him a “violent Fighter and Warrior,” but White declined the offer.
- The White House has been without a permanent press secretary since Karoline Leavitt left at the end of August, and her successor Katie Zacharia lasted only five days.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The White House has been without a permanent press secretary since Karoline Leavitt left the position at the end of August. Her successor, Katie Zacharia, lasted just five days in the role after an uncomfortable appearance before reporters. The development comes after Republicans suffered major losses in the midterm elections, losing control of both chambers of Congress.
President Donald Trump’s unusual offer to appoint Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) chief Dana White as White House press secretary has been declined, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Trump announced on Saturday that he had offered White the position, describing him as a “violent Fighter and Warrior” in a post on his Truth Social platform. However, despite the public appeal, White has turned down the offer, leaving Trump without a permanent chief spokesperson.
“I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States,” Trump wrote.
The US president also asked White to bring along six UFC fighters as “assistants”, sharing their photographs in the post. He suggested that they would help defend his administration against political opponents.
“We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left. Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!” Trump added.
White, who is a close friend of Trump, was in London on Saturday attending a boxing event when he was asked about the announcement. He said he planned to travel to Washington and meet the president at the White House on Monday.
When questioned about how he would manage the potential responsibilities alongside his existing roles in the fighting industry, White appeared taken aback before responding, “Yeah, I got a lot of jobs already.”
He declined to disclose details of his conversations with Trump, adding, “I'm sure I'll have more to talk about after that.”
Before the news conference, White had also shared Trump's post on Instagram, alongside an image of himself standing behind the podium in the White House briefing room, with the caption “On to the next chapter.”
Trump's announcement came amid a period of uncertainty within his administration. The White House has been without a permanent press secretary since Karoline Leavitt left the position at the end of August. Her successor, Katie Zacharia, lasted just five days in the role after an uncomfortable appearance before reporters.
The latest development also comes after Republicans suffered major losses in the midterm elections, losing control of both chambers of Congress.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Trump will appoint a new permanent White House press secretary in the near future.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Who will be appointed as the next permanent White House press secretary?
- What were the specifics of Trump's conversations with Dana White about the role?
- Will Dana White meet with Trump in Washington on Monday as planned?