Trump asks Dana White to become White House press secretary
The offer, made on Truth Social, follows a months-long vacancy in the role and comes days after Republicans lost their congressional majorities.
Key points
- Donald Trump publicly asked UFC boss Dana White to take the White House press secretary job
- It is unclear whether the job offer is genuine
- White later posted a photo of himself at the White House briefing room podium
- The post came after Republicans lost their congressional majorities in the midterm elections
- The White House and TKO Holdings had not yet responded to requests for comment
US President Donald Trump has asked Dana White, the head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), to take the job of White House press secretary. According to the BBC, the request was made in a post on Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform, on Saturday.
Trump wrote that White would be a press secretary “like none other” and added a direct appeal: “Dana, please take the job!” It is not clear whether the offer is serious. The broadcaster said it had reached out to the White House and to TKO Holdings, which owns the UFC brand, but neither had yet responded.
The vacancy and the political backdrop
The press secretary post has been empty since mid-October. That is when Katie Zacharia left the role after only a few days. The offer also came after Trump’s Republican allies suffered heavy losses in the US midterm elections and lost their majorities in Congress.
In the same post, Trump described White as a “violent Fighter and Warrior”. He also said he wanted White to bring several high-profile UFC fighters with him, even though some of them are not American. Trump shared photos of six fighters and claimed they were required to protect the nation from the “Lunatic Left”.
White’s response
After Trump’s post, White shared a snapshot of himself at the lectern in the room where the White House holds its press briefings. The caption read “On to the next chapter”. The BBC reported that it was unclear whether the caption was meant as a joke.
White is known for his combative style. He has often clashed with reporters who cover the sport. In 2020, he posted a video aimed at reporters who had criticised the organisation for staging contests early in the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2009, he posted a video containing strong profanity and an anti-gay slur while responding to a journalist’s report on backstage credential rules.
A long friendship and the UFC’s history
The two men have been close for years, as political allies and personal friends. When White and his partners purchased the struggling UFC in 2001, the sport was under heavy criticism from both major US parties. Half a decade before that, Senator John McCain, a Republican, described the sport as “human cockfighting”, a remark that led to prohibitions in 36 states.
In a 2025 interview with CBS, a US partner of the BBC, White said mainstream venues would not host the UFC. He credits Trump with helping the organisation survive by arranging two fight nights at the Trump Taj Mahal gambling hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2001. He also addressed delegates at the Republican gatherings of 2016, 2020 and 2024 while supporting Trump’s campaigns. This summer, the UFC staged a cage fight on the White House lawn.
Frequently asked questions
Has Trump officially offered Dana White the press secretary job?
Trump asked White to take the job in a Truth Social post. The BBC reported that it was unclear whether the offer was genuine, and the White House had not yet commented.
Why is the White House press secretary job open?
The role has been vacant since mid-October, when Katie Zacharia left after just a few days in the job.
How did Dana White respond to the offer?
White posted an Instagram photo of himself behind the White House briefing room podium with the caption u0026quot;On to the next chapteru0026quot;. It was unclear whether the post was meant as a joke.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
