Updated Nov. 7, 2026, 7:56 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump announced on Nov. 7 that UFC President Dana White has been offered the role as White House press secretary, writing “please take the job!”
“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,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post accompanied by photos of Ultimate Fighting Club athletes.
The president is known for sharing satirical content on his social media platform, so it remains unclear whether White is seriously being considered for the open post. However, White said he would meet with Trump next week.
“I’m flying to Washington, DC, right now,” White said in response to questions about Trump’s offer during a press conference in London following a boxing match on Nov. 7.
White said he would be meeting with Trump on Monday, but declined to get into specifics. “I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about after that,” he said.
White also posted a photo of himself at the White House podium, captioned “On to the next chapter” on his Instagram story and a screenshot of the announcement, but within an hour of Trump’s post, White’s Twitter account only posted promotions to upcoming UFC fights.
The White House did not respond to request for comment by USA TODAY. White and UFC did not immediately respond to requests for comment from MMA Junkie, part of the USA TODAY Network.
“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 continued in the post. “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 list of assistants is comprised of Russian, American and Brazilian professional mixed martial arts fighters.
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.
Trump’s relationship with Dana White
White is a longtime friend of Trump and has hosted him at fights through the years, and UFC’s Freedom 250 event on the White House lawn in June – on the president’s birthday – was one of the administration’s major projects for the nation’s 250th celebration
The UFC boss spoke at the 2016 and 2024 Republican National Conventions, introducing Trump at the latter. At the 2024 convention, White called Trump his 25-year friend and painted him as “a man that truly cares about people.”
“I’m in the tough guy business, and this man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I’ve ever met in my life,” White said at the 2024 Republican National Convention. “The higher stakes, the harder he fights, and this guy never ever gives up.”
Originally a manager for UFC fighters, White became the organization’s president in 2001 after it was bought for about $2 million. He helped develop the promotion into a global powerhouse, and in 2016, UFC was sold for $4 billion – with White remaining its president. Trump and White’s relationship dates back to a 2001 business deal, according to ESPN.
UFC’s parent company TKO Holdings reported that the MMA promotion had a $519.2 million revenue in the third quarter of 2026.
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