President Donald Trump stated on Sunday, November 8, that he was "only kidding" when he floated UFC president Dana White for the role of White House press secretary, according to reporting by The Guardian. The clarification followed a weekend of public speculation set off by the president's own social media posts.
Speaking to reporters, the president, 80, described the proposal as a lighthearted gesture. "So I was kidding, but I think Dana likes the idea, and he is a very capable guy," Trump said, according to The Guardian. He added, "Of course, I was kidding. And you could see that because I put all of the great fighters as his assistants, that they're all going to come with him. It was just a little fun."
The episode began one day earlier, when the president announced on his Truth Social platform that he had extended the offer to White, 57. "I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States," the president wrote on Truth Social. In the same post, he requested that White bring along a group of assistants: Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris.
The president, who has been seeking to fill the vacant press secretary position since Katie Zacharia was relieved of her duties after just five days, continued in the post, "We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left. Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Us Weekly reported that the outlet reached out to both the White House and representatives for White for comment but did not receive a response.
Earlier on Sunday, the president appeared to reinforce the idea by sharing an AI-generated cartoon on Truth Social. The animation depicted White attacking the press and repeated a sexist and transphobic conspiracy theory concerning former first lady Michelle Obama, according to Us Weekly.
In the cartoon, a Family Guy-style version of White stands at the White House press room podium, accompanied by several mixed martial artists, including Nurmagomedov, 38, and Makhachev, 35. The animated White directs the fighters to remove reporters after they pose questions such as "Is Trump a threat to democracy?" and "Is Michelle Obama running in 2028?"
A cartoon rendering of UFC heavyweight Josh Hokit responds to the latter question by stating, "Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?" The line echoes remarks the real Hokit made after a match on June 14 during the UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House's South Lawn.
White appeared to engage with the joke as well over the weekend, telling reporters on Saturday following a boxing event in London that he was "flying to Washington, D.C. right now," according to Us Weekly.