Trump Insists He Was ‘Only Kidding’ About Dana White as Press Secretary

President Donald Trump surprised many this weekend when he announced on his Truth Social that he had offered UFC CEO Dana White the position of White House Press Secretary, imploring the businessman, “Dana, please take the job!”By Sunday night, however, Trump insisted he was only kidding. “I will tell you, I was only kidding, but Dana loves the idea, and there’s only one Dana. He’s great,” Trump told reporters on Sunday evening in Florida. On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social, “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,” adding that he should bring “assistants” and listing out several fighters. “We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left. Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!” he added. But quickly, CNN reported that White had actually turned down the job, and White acknowledged the offer on social media with an AI-generated image of himself at the press podium. “So he’s actually coming tomorrow,” Trump said Sunday night of White, who is scheduled to meet with the president at the White House. “Of course, I was kidding. … But Dana is actually coming tomorrow, actually, for other reasons. I think he was going to be in Washington, so he’s going to come over and see me.” In August, Karoline Leavitt exited the role of White House Press Secretary after serving in the job since the start of Trump’s second term. The president then infamously tapped political commentator Katie Zachariah as Leavitt’s replacement in October, but she lasted less than a week and departed the role after a disastrous press conference. Q: What made you suggest Dana White? Are you serious?Trump: That was an example of something where I was kidding and that people said that's actually pretty good idea pic.twitter.com/8hjBPNNY3K— Acyn (@Acyn) November 8, 2026