Trump offers job of White House press secretary to Ultimate Fighting Championship's Dana White

United States President Donald Trump has asked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White to be the new White House press secretary, he wrote in a Nov. 8 Truth Social post.

He has been searching for someone to take the position since Katie Zacharia left five days into the job on Oct. 16.

Although a source said White has declined the offer, according to CNN, the 57-year-old told reporters that he was meeting Trump in Washington on Nov. 9 when they would potentially discuss the role.

'A Press Secretary like none other'

In his Truth Social post, Trump described White as "a violent Fighter and Warrior", and said that he "will be a Press Secretary like none other".

He added that he requested White bring "assistants", and named six UFC fighters while noting that some are not American citizens.

"We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left," Trump said. "Dana, please take the job!"

White has been a long-time friend and supporter of Trump, speaking at several Trump rallies during his presidential campaigns.

White's response

Following Trump's Truth Social post, White posted an Instagram Story with a photo of himself behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room.

"On to the next chapter," he wrote under the photo.

He also reposted Trump's Truth Social post in his next Instagram Story.

At a press conference following a boxing event in London on Nov. 7, White was asked about Trump's offer.

He deflected the question and simply said he was flying to Washington, DC, right afterwards and has plans to meet with Trump.

"I got a lot of jobs already," he said.

He declined to share what he and Trump have spoken about the press secretary position so far, and repeated that they have a meeting on Nov. 9.

"I'm sure [we'll have] a lot more to talk about after that," he added.

A genuine offer?

It is not clear whether Trump was serious about the offer to White.

White House communications director Steven Cheung reposted Trump's offer on X with excitement, and urged White to "do it".

But according to CNN, an aide said Trump was joking.

Speculation has also emerged on the Internet that he might have confused the mixed martial arts promoter Dana White with Dana W. White, the former assistant to the Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs.

She used to be a press secretary for the Republican Conference of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Independent journalist Adam Cochran said that Dana W. White was purportedly recommended on a shortlist for Trump.

This theory has not been confirmed, however.