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President Donald Trump said Saturday he had offered UFC CEO Dana White the White House press secretary job. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that White declined; White did not directly address the offer at a news conference and said he planned to meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had offered UFC CEO Dana White the job of White House press secretary, but a source familiar with the matter told CNN that White declined. White did not confirm or deny the reported decision at a news conference, saying instead that he planned to travel to Washington to meet Trump on Monday.
Trump announced the offer in a post on Truth Social, describing White as a “violent Fighter and Warrior” and urging him to take the job. Trump also asked White to bring “assistants,” naming six UFC fighters and sharing their photos. The post framed the proposed team as people who could defend the administration against what Trump called the “Lunatic Left.”
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that White turned down the idea. CNN said it had contacted both the White House and the UFC for comment. White was asked about the offer at a news conference Saturday but did not answer directly; he said he would meet Trump in Washington on Monday. White’s plans for that meeting do not establish whether the job offer will be discussed again.
White has led the UFC for years and is a prominent Trump ally. White spoke at the last three Republican National Conventions and helped connect the party with younger male voters. On Saturday, White House communications director Steven Cheung reposted Trump’s message and wrote, “Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!” CNN reported that one aide characterized Trump’s offer as a joke, leaving its seriousness unclear.
A Press Office Still Without a Successor
The episode puts fresh attention on a White House communications job that remains unsettled after two recent departures. Trump is personally invested in the position, CNN reported, and the press secretary is responsible for communicating the administration’s positions and responding to journalists. The unusual public pitch to a longtime political ally has not produced a confirmed appointment.
The vacancy comes as the political stakes for the administration rise. CNN reported that Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the midterms and have pledged investigations into the administration. A press secretary would be a central public voice as the White House responds to congressional scrutiny. But there is no evidence in the report that White was under formal consideration beyond Trump’s public offer, or that he had agreed to take on any communications role.
White’s political profile also gives the proposal added significance. Trump has credited him with introducing the president to younger audiences through UFC and online personalities. CNN reported, however, that young men shifted toward Democrats in the midterms, despite the administration’s efforts to appeal to them. The offer therefore links a personnel search with Trump’s political relationship with White and the broader effort to reach voters.
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Recent Turnover in the Press Office
Trump is looking for a press secretary after Karoline Leavitt left in August, saying she wanted more time with her young family. CNN reported that Leavitt had served for a year and a half and joined Fox News as a contributor this month.
Her successor, Katie Zacharia, held the post for five days before Trump fired her after a rocky briefing, according to CNN. The outlet described that as the shortest press secretary tenure in history. The latest public offer to White came amid this recent turnover, but the report does not say that White had been part of a formal search or that Trump had identified another replacement.
Trump has also signaled possible changes elsewhere in his administration. CNN reported that he ousted longtime chief of staff Susie Wiles on Friday and named Stephen Miller to take over starting Monday. Asked about staffing changes by CBS News, Trump said, “I’ll be doing maybe a few changes.” That broader personnel movement provides context for the press secretary opening but does not confirm any further appointments.
“Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!”
— White House communications director Steven Cheung, reposting Trump’s message
Offer’s Status Remains Unsettled
The reported decline comes from a source familiar with the matter; White has not publicly confirmed it in the material available. His brief response at Saturday’s news conference did not clarify whether he rejected the offer, considered it, or regarded Trump’s post as a joke. CNN also reported that one aide said Trump was joking, but did not identify the aide.
It remains unclear whether Trump made a formal offer, whether the White House considers the position open, or who else may be under consideration. CNN said it had sought comment from the White House and UFC, but the report provided no response from either. White’s planned Monday meeting with Trump is confirmed as his stated plan, but its agenda and any possible discussion of the press secretary role are unknown.
Monday Meeting May Clarify the Offer
White said he planned to fly to Washington on Monday to meet Trump. That meeting is the next reported opportunity for either man to clarify whether the proposal was serious and whether White has any role in the administration’s staffing plans. No details about the meeting’s agenda were reported.
The White House has not announced a press secretary appointment in the source material, and the status of the search remains unclear. Any confirmation from Trump, White, the UFC or the White House would establish whether the public pitch led to a formal decision or was only a joke, as one aide reportedly suggested.
Key Questions
Did Dana White accept Trump’s offer?
No. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that White declined. White did not directly confirm that account at his Saturday news conference.
What did Trump say about the offer?
Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had offered White the White House press secretary job and urged him to take it. He also suggested White bring six UFC fighters as “assistants.”
Was the offer serious?
That is not established. CNN reported that one aide said Trump was joking, while Trump’s post publicly described an offer. The report did not include a formal appointment or confirmation from White.
When is White expected to meet Trump?
White said Saturday that he planned to travel to Washington to meet Trump on Monday. The meeting’s agenda has not been reported.
Who had the job before this offer?
Karoline Leavitt left the role in August, and Katie Zacharia served for five days before Trump fired her, according to CNN. The report did not identify a confirmed successor.
Source: cnn.com
