In a quick reversal, President Donald Trump said Nov. 8 that he was "only kidding" when he announced that he had offered UFC CEO Dana White the role of White House press secretary.
White "loves the idea" of being press secretary, Trump said before adding that he "was kidding" about the job offer.
In a Truth Social post on Nov. 7, Trump wrote he was "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." The post included photos of Ultimate Fighting Club athletes and came the same day White told reporters in London he was flying to Washington, DC, and planned to meet with Trump on Nov. 9.
"I'm sure I'll have more to talk about after that," the UFC boss said,
declining to get into specifics.
White also posted a photo of himself at the White House podium on his Instagram Story with the caption, “On to the next chapter,” along with a screenshot of Trump’s announcement. But within an hour of Trump's post, White's X account was promoting upcoming UFC fights.
The White House did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. White and the UFC did not immediately respond to requests for comment from MMA Junkie, part of the USA TODAY Network.The White House press secretary role has been open since Katie Zacharia left after only five days on the job in October. In August, Karoline Leavitt announced she was leaving the role after more than a year and a half to spend more time with her family, weeks after the birth of her second child.
White is a longtime friend of Trump and has hosted him at fights through the years, and at UFC's Freedom 250 event on the White House lawn in June on the president's birthday. The event was one of the administration's major projects for the nation's 250th celebration.
White spoke at the 2016 and 2024 Republican National Conventions, introducing Trump at the latter. At the 2024 convention, White described Trump as a friend of 25 years and "a man that truly cares about people."
Contributing: Emily R. Condon and Jesse Yomtov, USA TODAY; Reuters
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'I was only kidding': Trump says Dana White offer was a joke
