Dana White, the longtime leader of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, says he is heading to Washington for talks after US President Donald Trump publicly floated him as a candidate for White House press secretary.
Trump made the pitch in a Truth Social post on Saturday, urging White to take the role and even suggesting a roster of UFC fighters who could serve as assistants.
Speaking to reporters at an event in London, White confirmed that a meeting with the president is on the calendar.
“I have a meeting on Monday,” he said.
“I’m flying to DC right now and I’m sure we’ll have something to talk about after that.”
In his post, the president wrote: “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.”
He continued: “Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!”
Whether the offer was meant in earnest was not clear, and White did not say if he would accept the position.
White said he already has “a lot of jobs already” and declined to discuss the substance of any recent conversations with Trump.
The press secretary post has been vacant since 16 October, when Katie Zacharia left the role after less than a week.
Katie Zacharia left the role after scrutiny over her credentials
White, 57, serves as president and CEO of the UFC, widely regarded as the biggest and most commercially successful mixed martial arts organisation in the world.
Trump’s message also called for six UFC fighters to join White, listing Russia’s Dagestan standouts Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov; Americans Justin Gaethje and Daniel Cormier; and “Kayla Harris”, which appeared to be a reference to Kayla Harrison.
He also named Amanda Nunes, a Brazilian native who became a US citizen last year.
“We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left,” Trump wrote.
The White House echoed the announcement, posting a screenshot of the president’s message on one of its official accounts.
Trump and White are friends, and the president has repeatedly used the UFC’s massive following to help burnish the profile of his MAGA movement.
On Donald Trump’s 80th birthday in June, the UFC held an event on the White House South Lawn
Since beginning his second term, Trump has also attended UFC events in Miami, New York and New Jersey.
The White House press operation already includes a former UFC spokesperson: Director of Communications Steven Cheung, who worked for the organisation from 2013 to 2016.
When Trump won re-election in 2024, White joined him on stage for his victory speech.
White has also taken a seat on Meta’s board of directors, a step some commentators saw as signalling a conservative shift at the tech company.
