Trump's nomination of UFC boss Dana White as press secretary fuels backlash and identity confusion
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President Trump announced UFC president Dana White as his next White House press secretary, triggering online speculation that the move may have been a confused nod to former Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White and underscoring the administration's chaotic approach to staffing.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday that he had offered the White House press secretary position to "the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior," and shared an AI-generated image of the UFC executive standing behind the press podium. The announcement immediately fueled online speculation that the president may have meant to nominate Dana W. White, who previously served as the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson and has also worked with the Heritage Foundation, The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.
Journalist Adam Cochran noted on X that "Dana W. White who ran public affairs for Sec Def was recommended on a short list for Trump to put as Press Secretary," while Trump’s post pointed instead to the UFC’s Dana White. Political science professor Connor Ewing questioned how such a mix-up could happen, and writer Doug Farrar said the timing was striking because it coincided with the anniversary of a previous Four Seasons Total Landscaping episode involving former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
Dana W. White responded on LinkedIn, thanking well-wishers but making clear that she was not the UFC figure and that she had never fought in an octagon. The UFC’s Dana White, speaking at a news conference in London, said he planned to meet with Trump but also suggested he already had multiple job offers.
The White House has not confirmed whether the UFC executive will accept the role. The administration has been without a press secretary since Katie Zacharia was dismissed last month, five days after her appointment, following a problematic briefing. Zacharia had succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who left the post in August to focus on family matters. During his first term, President Trump employed four press secretaries: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany.