Trump Says Dana White Press Secretary Offer Was Only a Joke
Table of Contents
You might want to know
- Why did Donald Trump say he had offered UFC chief Dana White the White House press secretary position?
- What is known about the vacant role and White’s planned meeting with the president?
Main Topic
US President Donald Trump has said that his apparent offer to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) chief Dana White to become White House press secretary was not a serious proposal. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump described the suggestion as a joke and said it had been made “just a little fun.” His comments followed a post on his Truth Social platform the previous day that had presented the offer in more direct terms.
In the Saturday post, Trump said he was “pleased to announce” that White “has been offered the job.” He urged White to accept, writing, “Dana, please take the job!” Trump also said he had asked White to bring several current and former mixed martial arts fighters with him as “assistants.” He framed their potential involvement in political language, saying, “We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left.”
Those remarks initially appeared to suggest that the president was seriously considering White for the position. On Sunday, however, Trump clarified that he had been kidding. He told reporters that White “loves the idea,” but added, “I will tell you, I was only kidding. But Dana loves the idea. And there's only one Dana. He's great.” Trump then characterized the exchange as “just a little fun,” rather than a formal appointment announcement.
White had not publicly committed to taking the job. Speaking at a news conference on Saturday, he said he already had “lot of jobs” and did not confirm whether he would accept the press secretary role. He indicated that there might be more to discuss after his planned meeting with Trump, saying, “I'm sure we'll have something to talk about after that.” His response left open whether the proposal had been intended as a serious possibility before Trump’s Sunday clarification.
White said he expected to meet the president on Monday. Trump also confirmed that White would visit him, but said the meeting was for “other reasons.” “I think he's going to be in Washington. So he's going to come over and see me,” Trump told reporters. The president’s explanation suggests that the visit should not, by itself, be interpreted as evidence that White is being formally considered for the vacant post.
The press secretary position remains unfilled following Katie Zacharia’s departure in October. Zacharia quit after less than five days in the job. She had taken over from Karoline Leavitt, who had held the role since Trump began his second term and was described as the youngest press secretary in US history. The succession of departures has left the administration without a permanent press secretary, while Trump’s public comments about White briefly raised the possibility of an unconventional choice.
The reported offer came after a heavy loss in the midterm elections, in which the Republican Party lost its majority in both houses of Congress. The source account presents that political setback as the backdrop to Trump’s Truth Social post, though Trump’s Sunday comments described the offer itself as a joke. The sequence illustrates why public statements about political appointments can generate speculation even when they are later characterized as informal or unserious.
White has a long-standing relationship with Trump and has appeared in support of the president’s campaigns. He spoke at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024. He also appeared on stage during Trump’s victory speech in the 2024 presidential election. In addition, the UFC staged a cage match on the White House lawn this summer, further reflecting the overlap between White’s sports organization and Trump’s public events.
White’s professional responsibilities extend beyond the UFC. He leads PowerSlap, a regulated slap-fighting promotion league, and recently launched promotion company Zuffa Boxing. He is also a board member of Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. These existing roles offer context for his comment that he already had “lot of jobs,” but do not establish whether he would have been willing to take on a government position.
The central point is that Trump publicly described the White House press secretary offer as a joke, while White neither accepted nor rejected the role. The Monday meeting was expected to take place for other reasons, according to Trump. Until an appointment is formally announced, the position remains vacant and the reported exchange should be understood as a public remark rather than a confirmed hiring decision.
Key Insights Table
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Trump’s clarification | On Sunday, Trump said he had been kidding about offering Dana White the press secretary job and called the exchange “just a little fun.” |
| White’s response | White said he already had “lot of jobs” and did not say whether he would accept the position. |
| Planned meeting | White was expected to meet Trump on Monday. Trump said the visit was for “other reasons.” |
| Vacant role | The press secretary position became vacant in October after Katie Zacharia quit following less than five days in the job. |
| White’s public political appearances | White supported Trump at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and appeared at Trump’s 2024 election victory speech. |
| White’s other roles | He leads the UFC and PowerSlap, recently launched Zuffa Boxing, and serves on the board of Meta. |
Afterwards...
The episode points to broader questions about how political appointments are communicated and how quickly informal remarks can be interpreted as policy decisions. In an environment where leaders post directly to social platforms and comments are widely circulated, audiences benefit from distinguishing between a proposal, a joke, a negotiation and a confirmed appointment. Clear statements from the relevant parties can help reduce uncertainty, particularly when a government position is already vacant.
Further exploration of digital political communication could examine how social platforms influence public expectations, news reporting and the formal processes behind government hiring. Researchers and institutions may also benefit from studying how to preserve reliable records of announcements and corrections, while making the status of potential appointments easier to understand. Transparent communication and careful verification remain important tools for interpreting fast-moving public statements.
For now, Trump has said the offer to White was made in jest, White has not announced that he would take the role, and the press secretary position remains unfilled. The planned meeting may attract attention, but based on the statements described here, it does not confirm an appointment or establish that White is a candidate for the job.
Last edited at：2026/11/9