Trump now says he was 'only kidding' about wanting UFC's Dana White as press secretary

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Nov 08, 2026 6:56 PM EST | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said he ‌was "only kidding" when he suggested UFC CEO Dana White could become his next White House press secretary, after a social media post a ​day earlier stirred speculation about recruiting his ​feisty ally and signalled a combative approach to dealing with Democrats as they prepare to take ​control of Congress.

Trump said White, a prominent supporter, "loves ⁠the idea" of ⁠taking the job but ‌insisted he had not been serious about the prospect, describing the suggestion as "just a little fun."

"I will tell you, I was only kidding," Trump ⁠told reporters, explaining that he had posted photographs of prominent UFC fighters as potential assistants to White as part of the joke.

In ‌Saturday's post, Trump described White as a "violent Fighter and Warrior" and suggested he bring several current or former UFC champions to serve as assistants, saying ​they were needed to "defend us against the Lunatic Left."

Trump said White would ⁠visit him at the White House on Monday, but added ⁠that the meeting was planned for other reasons.

• How the UFC became a stage for Trump

White, who has ⁠led ⁠the Ultimate Fighting ​Championship for more than two decades, has been a close ​Trump ally and ⁠helped mobilize support for his 2024 presidential campaign.

He has also appeared alongside Trump at several political events and helped bring UFC fights to the White House lawn this year.