Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO and president Dana White is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. on Monday after receiving a public offer to become the next White House press secretary. Trump extended the offer on Saturday through a social media post, though White has not indicated whether he intends to accept the position.
White House Job Offer and Reaction
Trump announced the proposal online while praising the fight executive. “I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States,” Trump wrote. He also suggested several current and former mixed martial arts fighters as potential assistants to White, mentioning “even though some are not from our Country.” The athletes named by Trump included Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harrison.
White, 57, responded to the announcement by sharing an artificial intelligence-generated image on his Instagram stories with the caption “On to the next chapter.” Later on Saturday, speaking at a press conference following the Zuffa Boxing 12 event in London, White confirmed the upcoming Washington trip while keeping his plans ambiguous. “I got a lot of jobs already,” White joked, adding, “… I’m sure we’ll have something to talk about after [the meeting].”
Press Office Context and Leadership Duties
If appointed, White would replace Katie Zacharia, who was dismissed in October after serving five days as press secretary. Zacharia took over the role after Karoline Leavitt stepped down in August to focus on her family.
Taking the White House role would represent a major shift for White, who has led the UFC since 2001 following its purchase by his Zuffa business partners. Under TKO Group Holdings, he currently acts as the face of two additional combat sports brands, Zuffa Boxing and Power Slap.
The offer builds on a long-standing friendship between Trump and White. Trump hosted White’s debut event as UFC president at his Trump Taj Mahal casino in 2001. During his first presidential term in 2018, Trump hosted White and UFC champion Colby Covington at the White House, later becoming a frequent spectator at UFC events as sitting president. White has delivered speeches supporting Trump at the Republican National Convention across all three of his election campaigns from 2016 to 2024, and Trump hosted the UFC Freedom 250 event on the south lawn of the White House in June.
