UFC chief Dana White declines Donald Trump's offer of White House press secretary role

Ultimate Fighting Championship head Dana White has rejected a public offer from U.S. President Donald Trump to serve as the White House press secretary, stating he holds no political ambitions.

What Happened

The public exchange began when President Trump posted on Truth Social that he had offered the high-profile press secretary position to his long-time ally Dana White, calling him a fighter and warrior and urging him to take the job. Social media users initially speculated whether the president had confused the UFC head with his namesake Dana W. White, a former assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, while Trump later clarified that he was only kidding and had been having a little fun.

The Briefing

Despite the president's earlier clarification, White made a surprise appearance at the White House on Monday, November 9, 2026, stepping up to the podium in the James Brady Briefing Room alongside Trump. During the chaotic news conference, Trump asked the cage fighting boss if he wanted to be press secretary or stay with the UFC. White thanked him for the offer but firmly declined, stating he does not want to be in politics and that his life had gone insane over the previous 24 hours due to the social media attention. Trump jokingly responded that he was devastated to hear the refusal before leaving the room.

Context

The White House press secretary position has remained vacant since Katie Zacharia left on October 16 after holding the post for less than a week, following her predecessor Karoline Leavitt who departed in August. White is a long-time friend of the president and helped host a UFC match on the White House lawn earlier in the year.