President Donald Trump now claims his offer to UFC head Dana White for the White House press secretary role was a joke. “I was just kidding,” Trump told reporters, according to The New York Times.
The White House press secretary position became vacant after Katie Zacharia was fired after only five days on the job. Trump’s initial public offer to White, a prominent Trump supporter, drew significant media attention. Multiple outlets, including CNN, reported that White declined the position. Despite the reported rejection, both Trump and White confirmed they would meet at the White House on Monday.
Trump clarified his remarks to Fox News, saying, “I was obviously kidding, but I think Dana loves the idea.” He described the episode as a way to have some fun, adding, “I wanted to have a little fun with it” and that it was an example of his joking style where people might say, “that’s actually a pretty good idea.”
The president also commented on White’s suitability for the role, suggesting that if White were the press secretary, “you wouldn’t argue with him in the first place.” He reiterated that their Monday meeting was for other reasons, not the press secretary job.
Dana White, the head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has not directly commented on the job offer beyond confirming the planned meeting. In a statement reported by ESPN, White said, “I have a lot of jobs already. We have a meeting on Monday, so I’m sure I’ll have more to say after that.”
After Trump’s initial post on Truth Social urging White to “please take the job,” White shared a screenshot of the post on Instagram with a photo of himself at a podium in the White House press briefing room. The caption read: “Time for the next chapter.”
Dana White is a well-known supporter of Donald Trump. Earlier this year, he organized a UFC event at the White House. Trump’s offer included a unique twist: he suggested White hire six well-known UFC fighters as assistants, writing they were needed “as protection against the crazy left.”
The Trump administration has been seeking a replacement after Zacharia was fired.
The White House has not announced a timeline for filling the press secretary position. The meeting between Trump and White on Monday is expected to address other matters, but the status of the potential offer remains unclear. Media outlets will continue to monitor for any official announcements from the administration regarding the role.
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