Donald Trump says he was joking about offering White House press secretary role to UFC chief Dana White

US President Donald Trump revealed he was only joking after announcing that he had offered the job of White House press secretary to Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White. Trump made the clarification a day after his viral post, stating that he included a list of famous mixed martial arts fighters as proposed assistants only as a joke. The list in his post included Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harrison. Social media users had earlier suggested the president might have confused the UFC head with a former assistant to the secretary of defense who shares a similar name. Dana White declined the offer according to people familiar with the matter, though he later posted an Instagram story showing himself behind a White House podium with the caption about moving to the next chapter. The search for a new spokesperson continues following recent turnover in the position. Katie Zacharia resigned after a five-day tenure following scrutiny over her legal credentials and her failure to pass a state bar exam. Prior to the UFC post, Trump had also mentioned that he would consider rapper Nicki Minaj for the role after she supported him at a political rally.

Context

Finding a dependable head for the White House press office is a major priority for any presidential administration. The spokesperson handles daily media briefings and explains government policies to the public and journalists. Previous holders of this position have often faced intense media scrutiny regarding their professional backgrounds and qualifications.