Trump says he offered UFC CEO Dana White press secretary job
President Donald Trump said he offered the job of White House press secretary to UFC chief Dana White, in a Truth Social post that also listed MMA fighters as proposed staff. It is unclear whether the offer was serious.
President Donald Trump said he offered UFC CEO Dana White the position of White House press secretary, a post that has been vacant since Katie Zacharia's departure in October. The offer was posted on Truth Social on Saturday, November 7, and it was paired with a list of mixed martial arts fighters the president suggested as other members of his staff.
The post named former champions Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes as prospective assistants. It also listed «Kayla Harris,» apparently a reference to fighter Kayla Harrison. The post said some of the proposed names were not American. Trump framed the staffing idea as a way to defend the administration against what he called the «Lunatic Left.» It remains unclear whether the president was serious or joking, and White has not been reported as accepting the position.
The press secretary job has changed hands quickly. Karoline Leavitt left the post in August. Zacharia's appointment was announced on October 9 and took effect on October 12, and she left shortly after. On October 23, Trump said there was no rush to fill the role, leaving the White House without a permanent press secretary for the time being. Separately, Stephen Miller was named to succeed Susie Wiles as chief of staff, a move that drew attention alongside the press secretary vacancy and underlined the turnover among senior communications and staff roles.
The idea of White in a government post is not an entirely new thread in his relationship with Trump. The two have a friendship and business relationship that stretches back decades, and Trump hosted UFC events at his Atlantic City properties as early as 2001. White has appeared at high-profile political moments, speaking at the 2024 election-night celebration and at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Trump also attended UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn on June 14, 2026, placing the sport and its leadership at the center of an official event. Despite those ties, White said in November 2024 that he had no personal political aspirations, which makes the public offer notable in light of his earlier statement.
The post's mix of a senior executive role and a roster of athletes also raises questions about how seriously the proposal should be taken. The notes describe the staffing list as a combination of fighters, several of whom are not American, presented under the stated aim of defending the administration against critics. No details were provided about the duties such positions would carry, or about any process for appointing them.
OutKick said it contacted the White House and the UFC for comment on the post. As of the reporting, the notes do not indicate that either had responded publicly on whether the offer was genuine, and the status of the press secretary search remains open.
Source: foxnews.com
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