UFC Head Dana White Turns Down Trump's Offer to Become White House Press Secretary

Dana White, head of the mixed martial arts organisation Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has turned down US President Donald Trump's offer to become White House press secretary. CNN reported this on Saturday, 8 November, citing a source familiar with the matter. The story matters because the press secretary post has already changed hands several times this year.

Trump himself said on Saturday that he had offered the job to White. The source quoted by CNN says, however, that the UFC chief rejected the unconventional idea.

White avoided answering

At a press conference on Saturday, White sidestepped a question about Trump's offer. He only mentioned that he plans to meet the US president in Washington on Monday.

What Trump wrote earlier

On 7 November, Trump announced on his Truth Social network that he had offered White the press secretary role. The president suggested White bring aides with him, including Russian fighters Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. According to Trump, such people are needed to protect Americans from the "crazy left".

White's ties to Trump

White has for years been one of Trump's most visible allies. He has spoken at the last three Republican National Conventions and helped the party win over young male voters, one of the main factors behind Trump's re-election.

Recent history of the post

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt left the post in August. In October, Trump's new press secretary Kati Zakharia was dismissed less than a week after her appointment. Western media had criticised her for incompetence following her first press briefing.