The great White mix-up: Did Trump offer White House job to the wrong Dana White?

Did US President Donald Trump mistake UFC boss Dana White for another Dana White while offering the White House press secretary's job? That is the question doing the rounds online after an apparent name mix-up triggered a wave of jokes, speculation and confusion.

Trump on Saturday announced that he had offered the high-profile White House role to Dana White, president and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and one of his longtime allies. However, the announcement quickly became a talking point after social media users suggested the president may have confused him with Dana W White, a former Assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs. The UFC chief eventually turned down the offer, CNN reported.

"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. Dana, please take the job!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

White appeared to initially play along with the announcement, sharing an Instagram story featuring himself against a White House backdrop, with the US flag in the background and the caption, "On to the next chapter." He also reposted a screenshot of Trump's announcement, further fuelling speculation about whether the offer was genuine.

The announcement soon attracted a different kind of attention, with users speculating that Trump may have intended to appoint Dana W White, a former Pentagon public affairs official, rather than the UFC executive. Spencer T Hakimian, founder of New York-based hedge fund Tolou Capital Management, shared a video suggesting that the president may have confused the two. "I guarantee you 100%, somebody recommended her to Trump and he mistook her for the UFC's Dana White and now we all are in this mess," he joked.

Another US-based user wrote, "Oh my god someone told Trump to pick DoD Spox and ex-House GOP flak Dana White as Press Secretary and he thought they meant Dana White the CEO of UFC." A third post similarly claimed that Dana W White, who had handled public affairs for the defence secretary, was reportedly recommended for the position. "Apparently 'Dana W. White' who ran public affairs for Sec Def was recommended on a short list for Trump to put as Press Secretary. Trump has instead announced 'Dana White' of the UFC as Press Secretary with our Dana having any idea," the user wrote.

The online chatter, however, centred on speculation about a possible mix-up, rather than any confirmed explanation for Trump's announcement.