Trump says he was 'only kidding' about offering UFC CEO Dana White job as White House press secretary amid hunt for Karoline Leavitt's replacement

President ​Donald Trump on Sunday said he was 'only kidding' when ‌he suggested UFC CEO Dana White could become his next White House press secretary.On Saturday, Trump stirred ​speculation about recruiting his feisty ally and signaled a ​combative approach to dealing with Democrats as they prepare ⁠to take control of Congress.Trump said White, a prominent ​supporter, 'loves the idea' of taking the job but insisted he had ​not been serious about the prospect, describing the suggestion as 'just a little fun.''I will tell you, I was only kidding,' Trump told reporters, explaining ​that he had posted photographs of prominent UFC fighters as ​potential assistants to White as part of the joke.In Saturday's post, ‌Trump ⁠described White as a 'violent Fighter and Warrior' and suggested he bring several current or former UFC champions to serve as assistants, saying they were needed to 'defend us against the Lunatic Left.'​Trump said White ​would visit him ⁠at the White House on Monday, but added that the meeting was planned for other ​reasons.White, who has led the Ultimate Fighting ​Championship for ⁠more than two decades, has been a close Trump ally and helped mobilize support for his 2024 presidential campaign.He has ⁠also appeared ​alongside Trump at several political events ​and helped bring UFC fights to the White House lawn this year. President Donald Trump admitted he was 'only kidding' when he suggested UFC boss Dana White could become his next White House press secretaryTrump said White 'loves the idea' but insisted the offer was 'just a little fun,' including his suggestion that UFC fighters serve as assistantsOn Saturday, White broke his silence revealing he would be flying to Washington, DC, immediately and meet the president face-to-face on Monday.The UFC boss chuckled when questioned about the extraordinary offer by a reporter in London, before declaring: 'I'm flying to Washington, DC, right now.'White, 57, refused to reveal whether he had already discussed the position with Trump but confirmed he would be meeting his longtime friend at the White House.'I'm sure we'll have more to talk about after that,' he teased, keeping speculation swirling over whether he could actually become the administration's next chief spokesperson.'I've got a lot of jobs already,' he added when pressed by a reporter at a press conference.His comments come after conflicting reports emerged over whether White was seriously considering the job or had already rejected the president's offer.TMZ reported that the fight promoter would meet Trump in the Oval Office on Monday to discuss the position, citing sources with direct knowledge of the planned meeting.But CNN claimed White had already turned down the unorthodox proposal with one White House aide suggested Trump had been joking. On Saturday, White broke his silence revealing he would be flying to Washington, DC, immediately and meet the president face-to-face on Monday. Trump has struggled to fill the role following the departure of Karoline Leavitt Trump made the job offer on Truth Social, urging White to accept and suggesting he bring several UFC fighters as assistants White appeared willing to play along, reposting Trump's announcement on Instagram and sharing an image of himself standing behind the White House briefing room podiumThe drama comes as Trump scrambles to fill one of the most high-profile jobs in his administration following the disastrous five-day tenure of Katie Zacharia, who was fired after just one rocky press briefing.The position has taken on even greater importance following the Republicans' crushing midterm election defeat, which handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress and the power to investigate the administration.Trump made the offer on Truth Social on Saturday, writing: '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.'But the president went further, proposing that White bring an extraordinary collection of mixed martial arts stars to Washington as his assistants.'I have requested that he bring with him assistants, even though some are not from our Country, of Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris,' Trump wrote, apparently referring to UFC star Kayla Harrison in the final name.'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!'The message immediately raised questions about whether Trump was making a genuine employment offer or simply having fun with his close friend.White appeared willing to play along, reposting Trump's announcement on Instagram and sharing an image of himself standing behind the White House briefing room podium.'On to the next chapter,' he wrote alongside the picture, without explaining whether he was accepting the offer or joining in the joke. Katie Zacharia was fired as White House press secretary after just five days in the role, following a rocky debut briefing The search has produced some surprising names, with White House staffers even reportedly floating rapper Nicki Minaj as a possible candidate shortly before the midterm electionsWhite House communications director Steven Cheung also enthusiastically backed the idea, reposting Trump's announcement with the message: 'Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!'The president's interest in White comes amid a chaotic search for a replacement for Zacharia, whose spectacularly brief stint in the job ended last month.She was dismissed after just five days, leaving the White House scrambling to find someone capable of handling the relentless scrutiny of the Washington press corps.Her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, had served for approximately 18 months before departing in August to spend more time with her young family. She subsequently joined Fox News as a contributor.The search has produced some surprising names, with White House staffers even reportedly floating rapper Nicki Minaj as a possible candidate shortly before the midterm elections.White, meanwhile, has spent years building one of Trump's closest relationships outside politics.The UFC chief has spoken at the last three Republican National Conventions and played a significant role in connecting Trump with younger male audiences during his successful 2024 presidential campaign.Trump has previously credited White with introducing him to an entirely different generation of voters. White has spent years building one of Trump's closest relationships outside politics. The pair are seen at the 'UFC Freedom 250' MMA event on the South Lawn of the White House in June The White House personnel shake-up has reached the very top of Trump's administration. On Friday, he ousted longtime chief of staff Susie Wiles, left'He introduced me to people I never heard of, young kids,' the president said earlier this year.'I mean, I was being interviewed by 20-year-old kids. I'm saying, 'Where the hell did you meet these people?' They're called influencers.'That relationship reached new heights in June, when Trump hosted a UFC event on the White House lawn as part of celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary.However, the president's efforts to maintain his appeal among young men suffered a setback during Tuesday's midterms, with the demographic shifting toward Democrats.The White House personnel shake-up has also reached the very top of Trump's administration.On Friday, he ousted longtime chief of staff Susie Wiles and announced that hardline adviser Stephen Miller would replace her beginning Monday.'I'll be doing maybe a few changes,' Trump told CBS News on Friday.