President Trump publicly offered Dana White the White House press secretary job, then said a day later he was “only kidding,” while White planned a Monday Oval Office meeting to talk about it.
Story Snapshot
- Trump posted that Dana White was offered the press secretary job and urged him to accept.
- Trump named several mixed martial arts stars as possible assistants in the same post.
- Dana White said he would fly to Washington and meet Trump on Monday to discuss it.
- Trump later said the offer was a joke, creating mixed signals about the plan.
Trump’s Public Offer and Unusual Staffing Wishlist
On November 7, President Trump said on his social platform that he offered the White House press secretary job to Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White and urged him to “please take the job”. In the same message, Trump listed several well-known mixed martial arts fighters as potential assistants, including competitors from outside the United States, adding to the surprise of the moment. The post read like a direct appeal, not a tease, and it spread fast across news and sports outlets.
The named fighters included Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harrison, a list that blended current and retired stars. The detail fueled talk that Trump wanted a combative style at the podium. The press secretary job does not need Senate confirmation, so presidents have leeway to pick trusted messengers with strong media skills, even from outside politics. The White House, however, did not issue a formal appointment announcement at that time.
Dana White’s Acknowledgment and Planned Oval Office Meeting
After a fight card in London on November 7, Dana White told reporters he was “flying to Washington, D.C., right now” and planned to meet with President Trump on Monday to discuss the offer. A separate report, citing people with direct knowledge, said the meeting would take place in the Oval Office to “talk things over”. Those remarks and reports showed that at least some real discussion was set, not just online chatter. No terms, timeline, or role details were disclosed.
White did not announce a decision. Coverage focused on the fact of the offer, the expected meeting, and the lack of a formal acceptance. That kept the story in a gray zone between a serious recruitment and a headline-grabbing stunt. The press secretary role is one of the most public jobs in government, and presidents often choose loyalists or sharp communicators for it. Recent turnover in the job has also kept attention on who might take the podium next.
Trump’s “Only Kidding” Remark and What It Means
On November 8, President Trump said he was “only kidding” about the Dana White offer, while also saying White “loves the idea,” a mix that pulled the episode back toward showmanship. That comment did not erase the prior post or the planned meeting, but it made the status of the offer unclear. Without a formal White House statement naming a press secretary, the episode sits as an eyebrow-raising signal rather than a finished staffing move.
For many Americans, the back-and-forth reflects a larger worry: government feels like theater while big problems linger. Supporters on the right want tougher messaging, fewer media fights, and action on costs, borders, and crime. Voters on the left want substance on wages, health care, and fairness. Both sides increasingly think elites treat politics like a game. A press secretary choice that begins on social media and then becomes a joke the next day feeds that shared frustration.
Why This Moment Resonates Beyond Sports and Politics
Presidents have broad freedom to pick a press secretary based on trust and punchy communication, not a set resume. That history makes a nontraditional pick plausible in principle. Dana White runs a massive sports brand and understands media and conflict. Still, adding famous fighters as “assistants” reads more like a bit than an operations plan. The line between serious governing and viral content keeps getting thinner, and citizens pay the price when clarity loses to spectacle.
Trump says Dana White press secretary offer was a joke https://t.co/yyOpVWNM4X
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 9, 2026
Here is what is solid now: Trump publicly said he offered the job, he floated a slate of mixed martial arts figures as helpers, Dana White said he would meet the president Monday to discuss it, and Trump later described the offer as a joke. There is no confirmed acceptance, no official appointment, and no published terms. Until the White House issues a clear statement, this remains an attention-grabbing signal, not a settled staffing decision.
Sources:
tmz.com, people.com, cleveland.com, rmb.reuters.com, abc27.com
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