Trump offers UFC chief Dana White press secretary job
President Donald Trump said he offered UFC chief Dana White the press secretary job, but White reportedly declined.
At a glance
- President Donald Trump said he offered UFC chief Dana White the U.S. press secretary job.
- CNN cited a source saying UFC chief Dana White declined the offer.
- White House press secretary Katie Zacharia left the position in October.
President Donald Trump said he offered UFC President and CEO Dana White the job of press secretary of the United States in a post on Saturday, according to Trump. The offer was for the White House press secretary position.
In the Truth Social post, Trump said he was pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, had been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States. He wrote that they need these people to defend against the Lunatic Left, and said Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!
Earlier Saturday, White posted a picture on Instagram stories standing behind the press secretary's lectern in the White House, with the caption, On to the next chapter. It was unclear whether White had accepted the position or was simply acknowledging the president's request as a joke.
CNN, citing a source, reported that White had declined the president's offer.
Trump said the job offer extended to his assistants, even though some are not from the country. The so-called assistants Trump named included current and former UFC mixed martial arts fighters from countries such as Brazil and Russia.
In October, White House press secretary Katie Zacharia left the position just five days after her stint as Karoline Leavitt's replacement began. Trump told reporters he suggested Zacharia quit after her first and only press briefing, where, in her six minutes answering questions behind the lectern, she only took questions from three conservative outlets.
The president's appeal to White follows Friday's announcement that his deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, would be promoted to chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles.
Trump's stunning shake-up came just three days after Democrats won a landslide victory in the midterm elections, gaining majority control in the House and Senate.
The president and White have a longstanding friendship. During Trump's first campaign in 2016, White praised the then-Republican nominee and called him a fighter. And for his 80th birthday in June, President Trump hosted a UFC match dubbed UFC Freedom 250 on the White House's South Lawn.
The White House and the UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
— CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.
CORRECTION: This article was updated to correct the spelling of Karoline Leavitt's name.
Source: CNBC
Questions and answers
- Did Dana White accept the press secretary job?
- No. CNN cited a source reporting that Dana White declined President Donald Trump's offer. The source said it was unclear whether White accepted or was joking.
- Why did Trump offer Dana White the press secretary job?
- Trump said he was pleased to offer the job and wrote that they need these people to defend against the Lunatic Left. He also said the offer extended to his assistants.
- When did Katie Zacharia leave the White House press secretary job?
- Katie Zacharia left the position in October. She had just five days in the role, according to the source.
