Dana White plans to meet President Donald Trump on Monday, November 9, after Trump publicly offered him the White House press secretary job. The UFC chief executive has not announced that he is taking the position.
Trump floated the proposal in a November 7 Truth Social post, calling his longtime friend a “violent Fighter and Warrior.” He also suggested bringing professional fighters into the administration as White’s assistants.
CNN reported that an unnamed source familiar with the matter said White had declined. A White House aide separately told the network that Trump was joking about the offer.
White responded on Instagram with an image of himself behind the White House briefing-room lectern, captioned “On to the next chapter.” Australia’s ABC published the image and identified it as AI-generated.
Trump Names Six UFC Fighters He Wants as Assistants
Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 7, 2026
The proposed group included Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes. Trump also named “Kayla Harris,” apparently referring to Kayla Harrison, as RTÉ reported. The list combined current and former UFC titleholders.
The president described their task as defending his administration against political opponents and ended with a direct appeal: “Dana, please take the job!” White House communications director Steven Cheung added his encouragement on X: “Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!” Cheung previously worked as a UFC spokesperson from 2013 to 2016.
White Says He Already Has “a Lot of Jobs”
White, 57, faced questions about the proposal after Zuffa Boxing 12 at London’s Copper Box Arena. Asked how he would balance the position with his existing responsibilities, he replied, “Yeah, I got a lot of jobs already,” according to the Associated Press.
He said he was flying to Washington after the event but declined to explain his earlier conversations with Trump. “I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about after that,” he said. Elsewhere in the news conference, he discussed expanding his boxing business and staging more events internationally.
Zuffa Boxing is a joint venture between TKO Group Holdings and Saudi entertainment company Sela, with White and WWE president Nick Khan leading its operations. A March 18 announcement from TKO set out a multiyear Sky Sports agreement covering the UK and Ireland, including at least five shows a year on British soil.
The promotion’s separate Paramount+ agreement began in January 2026 with an initial slate of 12 cards and plans to increase that number in later years. White also founded Power Slap, which announced a five-year Las Vegas event partnership with MGM Resorts this spring.
The Press Secretary Role Has Been Vacant Since October 16
Karoline Leavitt completed her final day as press secretary on August 27, the White House confirmed. She left after approximately a year and a half, saying she wanted more time with her young family.
Katie Zacharia subsequently took the job and delivered her first briefing on October 13. She was removed on October 16 after five days in the position. The administration has not named a permanent successor.
Other senior positions are changing following Republicans’ losses in the November 3 midterm elections, when Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress. On November 6, Trump announced that Stephen Miller would replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff, with Miller due to take over on Monday, CNN reported.
Trump and White’s Relationship Began With Early UFC Events
Their business connection dates to the early 2000s, when Trump’s Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City hosted UFC events. White became an increasingly visible political ally during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, according to Reuters, and spoke at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
In June 2026, the UFC staged Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn as part of the country’s 250th-anniversary celebrations. The event coincided with Trump’s 80th birthday, and he and White walked out together before the bouts.
A specially constructed Octagon stood near the executive mansion beneath a large lighting and production structure known as The Claw. The White House said the UFC paid for the event, ABC reported. On 60 Minutes in 2025, White said their dinners involve Rocky movies and fights rather than politics.