President Trump jokes about appointing UFC chief as press secretary

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had offered Ultimate Fighting Championship chief Dana White the position of White House press secretary. In the message, Trump described White as “a violent fighter and warrior” and suggested that mixed-martial-arts athletes, including Russian fighter Islam Makhachev, could serve as assistants to the press secretary.

"We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left," Trump wrote. "Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!"

The post included a fabricated image of White in a suit behind a podium and photos of various MMA fighters. The offer appears to be tongue-in-cheek, given White’s business responsibilities and the informal tone of the message.

Trump and White have a personal friendship; the president previously hosted a UFC bout at the White House in June as part of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary. The comment follows the Democrats’ recent victory in both chambers of Congress and comes a day after the president replaced White House chief of staff Susie Wiles with Stephen Miller, a move viewed as part of a broader staff reshuffle.

On the same day, Trump announced that he was directing the Department of Justice to investigate what he called “weaponisation and lawfare” by Democrats, alleging that they were threatening Republican donors with imprisonment. He characterized the alleged actions as “extortion at the highest level” and called for accountability, though no evidence was provided.

The White House press secretary position has been vacant since Karoline Leavitt took maternity leave in April. Interim coverage has been provided by officials such as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with brief tenures by Katie Zacharia and others.