Former President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday that his online proposal to appoint UFC CEO Dana White as White House press secretary was purely a joke, after the MMA executive appeared to entertain the idea. Trump, speaking to reporters in Florida, dismissed the speculation, saying, “I was only kidding.”
“Dana loves the idea, and there’s only one Dana. He’s great,” Trump added, clarifying that his Truth Social post from Saturday—which playfully floated White for the role alongside a team of UFC fighters—was intended as humor. “You would have thought that people would have said he’s having a good time,” Trump remarked, referencing the public reaction.
The Joke That Sparked Confusion
On Saturday, Trump fired up speculation with a tongue-in-cheek post announcing White’s supposed hiring and listing prominent UFC fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Amanda Nunes as his “assistants” to “defend us against the Lunatic Left.” He ended the message urging White to “please take the job.”
White, a longtime Trump ally, initially leaned into the bit, sharing an AI-generated clip of himself hypothetically addressing the White House press corps with the caption, “On to the next chapter.” He also told reporters he was flying to Washington to meet with Trump on Monday—though the former president indicated the visit was unrelated to the press secretary gag.
White’s Actual Plans
“He’s actually coming tomorrow,” Trump said. “I think he’s going to be in Washington, so he’s going to come over and see me.” The two have maintained a friendship over the years, collaborating most recently on a UFC event held at the White House to celebrate Trump’s 80th birthday.
CNN reported that a source close to White claimed he had already declined the position before Trump’s clarification. The press secretary role has seen instability since Karoline Leavitt’s departure, with Katie Zacharia briefly filling the role for just five days before exiting.
Trump’s Playful Approach
Despite the confusion, Trump seemed amused by the response. “I think Dana likes the idea, and he is a very capable guy,” he said. “That was an example of something where I was kidding, and then people said, ‘You know, that’s actually a pretty good idea.’” The episode underscores Trump’s tendency to blend humor with political messaging, often leaving both supporters and critics guessing.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-laughs-off-dana-white-press-secretary-offer-i-was-kidding