Trump Offers White House Press Secretary Job to UFC Boss Dana White, Who Will Meet Him Monday
The post has been vacant since Karoline Leavitt left in August, and the last pick lasted five days. White says he has "a lot of jobs already."
President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has offered the job of White House press secretary to his friend Dana White, the head of UFC, and White said he will meet with Trump at the White House on Monday. The announcement was unconventional even for a president known for breaking norms, NPR reported.
Trump, who was at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, posted on social media that he made the offer to "the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior." He asked White to bring several UFC fighters as "assistants," writing, "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!"
White was in London for a boxing event when he was asked about the post at a news conference. He said he planned to fly to Washington right afterward and meet with Trump on Monday. Asked how he would balance the job with his current roles, White seemed confused by the question and said, "Yeah, I got a lot of jobs already." He declined to describe his conversations with Trump but said, "I'm sure I'll have more to talk about after that."
Before the news conference, White shared an image of Trump's post on Instagram next to a picture of himself behind the podium in the White House briefing room, captioned "On to the next chapter." The White House and a UFC spokesperson did not answer messages from the Associated Press on Saturday. White also described plans to expand the Zuffa Boxing organization he runs with Saudi Arabian backers and to hold more of its events around the world.
The offer comes as the White House is in turmoil. Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in Tuesday's midterms, and on Friday Trump announced that Stephen Miller would replace longtime adviser Susie Wiles as chief of staff. Wiles was seen as something of a tempering force on the president's impulses.
The press secretary slot has been empty since Karoline Leavitt left at the end of August. Trump tried out Katie Zacharia, a Truth Social aide, whom he named on Oct. 9. She seemed uncomfortable in her only appearance before reporters and left the job after five days. Trump has been without a chief spokesperson since.
White and Trump are close friends. White has attended several UFC events with the president since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, and in June he brought the sport to the South Lawn for a celebration of America's 250th year and Trump's 80th birthday. A wire-mesh Octagon was built near the executive mansion for the event. Whether White accepts the job, which would put a fight promoter at the podium facing the press corps, is expected to become clearer after Monday's meeting.
