President Trump jokes about appointing UFC chief Dana White as press secretary

President Donald Trump used his Truth Social account on Saturday to suggest that UFC chief executive Dana White could become the next White House press secretary, describing White as a "violent Fighter and Warrior" who could bring UFC fighters to "defend us against the Lunatic Left." The president later said he was only kidding and that White "loves the idea," adding that there is only one Dana.

Dana White confirmed at a news conference that he will travel to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with the president on Monday and said he already has many responsibilities. > "I got a lot of jobs already," White said. "We have a meeting on Monday, so I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about after that."

The press secretary post has been vacant since Katie Zacharia left the role after five days in office last month, following criticism over her credentials. White brushed aside the idea of taking the job, citing his existing workload.

The exchange sparked commentary from members of Congress. Democratic Representative Melat Kiros said the offer "demonstrates how deeply unserious this man is, how ridiculous this administration is." Democratic Senator Mark Kelly warned that the suggestion was "really funny if it wasn’t dangerous, if he wasn’t the president."

White, a longtime Trump supporter and donor, has known the president for about two decades and has appeared at campaign events since 2016. He has credited Trump with helping the UFC reach broader audiences and said the president has used UFC connections to engage younger voters.

Both men posted AI-generated memes over the weekend about the hypothetical appointment, and White shared an Instagram Story showing himself behind a White House podium with the caption "On to the next chapter."

The episode follows a series of high-profile UFC-related events during Trump’s second term, including a planned Independence Day tournament that featured a weigh-in at the Lincoln Memorial and fights on the White House lawn. Critics have raised conflict-of-interest concerns, noting that Trump purchased up to $50,000 of stock in TKO Holding, the UFC’s parent company, before the event.

A Pentagon spokesperson named Dana White, unrelated to the UFC executive, denied any approach for the press secretary role, posting on LinkedIn that she was receiving congratulations meant for the wrong person.