Trump says Dana White press secretary offer was just a joke

President Donald Trump said Sunday he was only kidding when he posted on social media that he had offered UFC CEO Dana White the position of White House press secretary.

Speaking to reporters a day after he posted about the supposed job offer on Truth Social, the president said multiple times that it was only a joke.

“Of course, I was kidding,” Trump said. “And you can see that because I put all of the great fighters as his assistants, that they’re all going to come to him. But it was just a little fun.”

In the post sent out Saturday, Trump wrote he had offered White the job and requested that he bring a list of champion fighters with him as assistants. Included on the list were Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison. The latter two will face each other next Saturday at UFC 334 inside Madison Square Garden.

“When you look at the fighters that I put in, that’s why I said some don’t come from our country. They come from parts unknown. They come from a lot of areas and very rough areas,” Trump said, explaining his post.

“… I posted the greatest wrestlers and UFC fighters in the world, right? Like Khabib, like Justin Gaethje, and you see a lot of rough faces there. And you would have thought that people would have said he’s having a good time. I will tell you, I was only kidding, but Dana loves the idea.”

The president did confirm that White is coming to the White House on Monday, but “for other reasons.”

“That was an example of something where I was kidding, and then people said, ‘You know, that’s actually a pretty good idea,’” Trump said.

The president previously said last week that he would entertain the idea of the rapper Nicki Minaj filling the role. Minaj has publicly supported Trump since 2025 and joined him at a rally in Michigan ahead of the midterm elections. Then came Saturday’s post about White.

“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.

Shortly after Trump’s post on Saturday, White posted a picture on his Instagram story of himself standing behind a White House podium with the caption: “On to the next chapter.”

He spoke at a news conference after a Zuffa Boxing event in London, and said he would meet with Trump on Monday. When asked if he could share more details about the conversations he has had with Trump, White said no.

“We have a meeting Monday, so I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about after that,” said White, who is expected to attend UFC 334.

The press secretary position has been vacant since October, when Katie Zacharia was let go after just five days on the job.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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