USAupdated 20m ago2 min read
Archive photo · 2 June 2025Trump Offers UFC Chief Dana White White House Press Secretary Role, White Declines
“a source familiar with the matter says the Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO declined the unorthodox idea.”
“It's unclear whether the president's public job offer is genuine.”
Photo: Daniel Torok, Public domain · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Trump offered UFC CEO Dana White the White House press secretary position. Dana White reportedly declined the offer, per CNN and other outlets.
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Trump’s offer to White
President Donald Trump offered Dana White, the UFC chief, the job of White House press secretary in a Truth Social post, writing, "Dana, please take the job!" Trump said he requested White bring "assistants" and listed Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harrison. A source familiar with the matter said Dana White declined the offer, even as Trump’s post remained the public centerpiece of the proposal.
Dana White posted an Instagram image behind the podium in the White House press briefing room with the caption "On to the next chapter," after Trump’s announcement. The White House press secretary vacancy had opened after Katie Zacharia exited after just a few days on the job, and Trump’s post came as he continued searching for a replacement.
Who would speak for Trump
Trump’s offer framed the role as a communications defense effort, with the president writing, "We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left."
Trump proposed the position to White, an old ally, and said White would have rejected the proposition from the American president according to CNN.
The BBC said it was unclear whether the president's public job offer was genuine and added that the BBC asked the White House and TKO Holdings, the parent company of UFC, for comment.
Steven Cheung reposted Trump’s message with "Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!"
Dana White’s public reaction also included his Instagram caption "On to the next chapter," which CNN described as coming after Trump’s continued search following Katie Zacharia’s departure.
Vacancy, staffing, and fallout
The press secretary role had been vacant since mid-October, when Katie Zacharia exited after just a few days on the job, and Trump’s offer arrived after that turbulence. Trump fired Zacharia after one rocky briefing, making her stint as press secretary the shortest in history, and Leavitt left in August to spend more time with her young family. Trump ousted chief of staff Susie Wiles and replaced her with Stephen Miller, who would take over starting Monday.
The White House role had been empty since Katie Zacharia’s exit after less than a week on the job, and the appointment of Katie Zacharia followed Karoline Leavitt’s maternity leave. Trump’s post came after Democrats won control of the House and the Senate, while the White House and UFC were reached out to for comment.