President Trump offers UFC chief Dana White a role as White House press secretary

President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account on Saturday that he has offered UFC chief executive Dana White the position of White House press secretary, adding that White would be "a press secretary like none other" and urging him to accept the job. In the same post, Trump listed six current or former UFC title holders – Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes – as potential assistants, saying they should help "defend us against the Lunatic Left."

Dana White responded at a press conference following a Zuffa Boxing event in London, confirming that he will travel to Washington to meet with Trump on Monday to discuss the offer. White said he has "a lot of jobs already" but indicated that the meeting will determine whether he pursues the role. He later posted an image on Instagram showing himself behind a White House briefing room podium with the caption, "On to the next chapter," which has been interpreted as a reference to the pending discussion.

The White House press secretary position has been vacant since the brief tenure of Katie Zacharia, who served for five days after succeeding Karoline Leavitt in October. The administration has also seen recent changes in senior communications staff, including the appointment of Stephen Miller as chief of staff and the departure of Leavitt earlier this year. Steven Cheung, the White House director of communications who previously worked for the UFC, shared Trump’s message on X, writing, "Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!"

White and Trump have a long‑standing relationship that dates back to the early 2000s, when Trump’s Taj Mahal casino hosted a UFC event. White has publicly supported Trump’s presidential campaigns, speaking at the Republican National Conventions in 2016 and 2020 and introducing the president at the 2024 convention. In June, the White House hosted a UFC‑organized fight night on the South Lawn as part of the United States’ 250th‑anniversary celebrations.

The proposal comes amid a broader reshuffle of the Trump administration’s communications operation and follows the recent midterm elections in which Democrats gained control of both chambers of Congress. Critics have noted the unconventional nature of the offer, while supporters point to White’s experience in media and public relations within the sports industry.