Dana White Flies to Washington to Discuss White House Press Secretary Role with Trump

US President Donald Trump publicly offered UFC president Dana White the position of White House Press Secretary on Truth Social on November 7, calling him 'a real fighter and warrior' and promising he would be a unique press secretary. Trump also suggested recruiting well-known MMA fighters, including Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, as assistants. White confirmed he is flying to Washington and will meet with Trump on Monday, November 9, to discuss the offer, though he noted he already has 'enough work'. Earlier reports from CNN and Life.ru suggested White had declined the offer, with one aide even suggesting it might have been a joke. White posted a photo on Instagram from behind the White House press briefing podium with the caption 'Moving on to the next chapter', leaving the final decision unclear until after the meeting. The position became vacant after Katie Zakaria left less than five days after an awkward first briefing, following the departure of her predecessor, Caroline Levitt, who stepped down in August to focus on her family. Trump and White share a long-standing relationship, with the president regularly attending UFC events and White speaking at several of his campaign rallies.

Otabek YusupovFirst published on tafs uz 8 November 2026 at 06:012 min read

The key facts

Donald Trump publicly offered Dana White the White House Press Secretary position on Truth Social on November 7.
White confirmed he is flying to Washington and will meet with Trump on Monday, November 9.
CNN previously reported that White had declined the offer; the vacancy arose after Katie Zakaria left the role in less than five days.

White's Offer and Reaction

US President Donald Trump publicly offered UFC president Dana White the position of White House Press Secretary on November 7. In a post on Truth Social, he called White 'a real fighter and warrior', promised that he would be a Press Secretary 'unlike any other', and addressed him directly: 'Dana, please accept the job!'. This is reported by euronews. Trump also suggested bringing in well-known MMA fighters as assistants, naming among them Russians Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, as well as Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harrison.

Meeting on Monday Amid Contradictory Reports

On Saturday evening, speaking to journalists at a boxing event in London, White stated: 'I am flying to Washington right now', and confirmed that he will meet with Trump on Monday, November 9, to discuss the offer. He noted that he already has 'enough work', but did not reveal the content of previous conversations with the president, adding that after the meeting 'there will be something to talk about'. Earlier, according to Life.ru citing CNN and a source familiar with the situation, White allegedly declined the offer, and one of the president's aides suggested it might have been a joke. White himself posted a photo on Instagram from behind the podium at the White House press briefing room with the caption 'Moving on to the next chapter'. Thus, the final decision has not yet been announced; according to White's words, it may become known after the meeting on November 9.

Why the Position is Vacant

The context of the offer is clarified by euronews: the White House Press Secretary position became vacant after Katie Zakaria left the role less than five days after an awkward first briefing. Her predecessor, Caroline Levitt, the president's favorite, announced in August that she was stepping down to focus on her family; Trump called her one of his 'most trusted aides' and one of the best press secretaries in the history of the position, adding that she would continue working as an external advisor. Trump and White have a long-standing relationship: the president regularly attends UFC events, and White has spoken at several of his campaign rallies, including an event the day before the inauguration in January 2025.