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United States President Donald Trump has publicly invited Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White to become the next White House press secretary, posting the offer on social media following recent political setbacks for his party.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump praised the fight promoter as a unique candidate for the position and urged him to accept the job. The president also shared images of several prominent UFC athletes, suggesting White bring them to Washington to help defend against political opponents following Republican losses in the US midterm elections.
White Responds to Public Job Offer
The position of White House press secretary has been open since mid-October, when Katie Zacharia stepped down after just a few days in the role. Following Trump’s announcement, White House communications director Steven Cheung expressed support for the idea on X, encouraging White to accept the offer.
White initially acknowledged the post on Saturday by stating that he already manages a heavy workload. He later shared an Instagram picture of himself standing behind the podium in the White House press briefing room with a caption mentioning a transition to a new chapter, though it was unclear if the post was intended as a joke.
Attending a boxing event in London on Saturday featuring Chris Billam-Smith and Cheavon Clarke, White explained at a post-fight press conference that he is traveling to Washington on Monday to meet with Trump. While he did not state whether he wanted the role, CNN reported that a source familiar with the situation indicated White had turned down the offer.
Business Commitments and Media Clashes
White maintains an extensive list of corporate responsibilities outside his primary leadership role at the UFC. He heads the regulated slap-fighting league Power Slap, recently launched the boxing promotion company Zuffa Boxing, and was appointed to the board of directors at Meta last year.
Known for his outspoken demeanor, White has periodically engaged in public disputes with journalists. In 2020, he published a video attacking reporters who questioned the UFC’s decision to organize events during the early stages of the pandemic. In 2009, he released an expletive-laden video response that included an anti-gay slur directed at a reporter covering backstage media credentials.
A Decades-Long Political and Business Alliance
White and Trump share a partnership dating back to 2001, when White and his business partners purchased the struggling UFC organization for $2 million. At the time, mixed martial arts was banned in 36 states following intense political opposition, including criticism from Republican Senator John McCain, who famously described the sport as human cockfighting.
With mainstream arenas unwilling to host mixed martial arts events, White credited Trump with helping save the business by agreeing to hold two early UFC shows at his Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In recent years, White has actively campaigned for Trump, speaking at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020, and 2024, while the White House lawn served as the venue for a UFC cage match earlier this summer.
