Trump Asks Dana White to Serve as White House Press Secretary
The former president has reportedly offered the UFC CEO the role, with plans to host several fighters at the White House.
In a surprising turn of events, Donald Trump has asked Dana White, the CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), to take on the role of White House press secretary. This development comes just days after Katie Zacharia stepped down from the position, having held it for only five days .
According to reports, Trump expressed his desire for Dana White not only to fill the press secretary role but also to bring several UFC fighters to the White House for an upcoming visit . This move highlights Trump’s continued interest in blending high-profile personalities with official government functions.
Dana White, known for his dynamic presence in the sports world, currently serves as the CEO of UFC, a position he has held since 2001 . His potential appointment to the White House could mark a significant shift in the traditional profile of the press secretary role, bringing a fresh and energetic approach to the position.
Katie Zacharia’s brief tenure as White House press secretary ended on October 16, 2023, following her predecessor Karoline Leavitt, who left the role at the end of August . The succession of short-term occupants in this role suggests a period of transition and reevaluation within the White House communications strategy.
Scheduled for a meeting with Trump on Monday, Dana White’s response to the offer remains to be seen. Reports indicate that there may be some uncertainty around whether he will accept the role, given his existing commitments .
It is worth noting that while the offer was initially reported to have been made via a social media post on Truth Social, this detail has been disputed by other sources . Additionally, the notion that Dana White and Trump share a longstanding friendship and business relationship has also faced contradiction .
As the White House navigates its current staffing challenges, the possibility of Dana White stepping into the press secretary role adds an intriguing twist to the ongoing narrative of the administration’s personnel changes.
What we know
- - Donald Trump asked Dana White to be the White House press secretary. 123456
- - Trump mentioned he wants Dana White to bring several UFC fighters to the White House. 136
- - Dana White is the CEO of UFC. 3456
- - Katie Zacharia left the position of White House press secretary in mid-October. 14
- - Dana White is scheduled to meet with Trump on Monday. 16
- - Katie Zacharia held the role of White House press secretary for only five days before leaving. 46
What remains unclear
Trust Score report
Disputed — probability of truth 39%, weighted across 19 claims from 6 independent outlets. Since the first report: 63% → 39%, outlets 3 → 6.
- confirmed Donald Trump asked Dana White to be the White House press secretary. (97%)
- confirmed Trump mentioned he wants Dana White to bring several UFC fighters to the White House. (94%)
- confirmed Dana White is the CEO of UFC. (93%)
- confirmed Katie Zacharia left the position of White House press secretary in mid-October. (87%)
- confirmed Dana White is scheduled to meet with Trump on Monday. (87%)
- confirmed Katie Zacharia held the role of White House press secretary for only five days before leaving. (86%)
- disputed The offer was made via a social media post on Truth Social. (3%)
- disputed Dana White has multiple business commitments including leadership roles in UFC, Power Slap, and Zuffa Boxing. (3%)
- disputed Dana White and Donald Trump have a long-standing friendship and business relationship. (3%)
- disputed Dana White expressed uncertainty about accepting the role of White House press secretary. (3%)
- disputed The White House press secretary position became vacant on October 16, 2023. (3%)
- disputed Dana White supported Trump's 2016 and 2024 presidential campaigns. (3%)
- disputed Dana White posted an Instagram photo of himself at the White House press briefing room. (3%)
- disputed Dana White was at a boxing match in London on the day of Trump's offer. (3%)
- disputed Stephen Miller was appointed as the next chief of staff by Trump. (3%)
- disputed The White House hosted its first UFC event in June 2023. (3%)
- disputed Karoline Leavitt previously held the role of White House press secretary until the end of August. (3%)
- disputed Trump requested Dana White to bring along six UFC title holders to the White House. (3%)
- disputed Steven Cheung, director of communications at the White House, formerly worked for Dana White's organization from 2013 to 2016. (3%)
Sources
- BBC Sport — 'Dana, please take the job!' - Trump asks UFC boss to be White House press secretary
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvze47p9jeexo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss - PBS NewsHour — Trump says he's asked UFC's Dana White to be his press secretary
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-says-hes-asked-ufcs-dana-white-to-be-his-press-secretary - NYT U.S. — Trump Asks Dana White of U.F.C. to Be His Press Secretary
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/07/us/politics/trump-dana-white-ufc-press-secretary.html - Deutsche Welle — Trump offers White House press secretary role to Dana White
https://www.dw.com/en/trump-offers-white-house-press-secretary-role-to-dana-white/a-79888119?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf - Sky News — Trump asks UFC boss Dana White to be his new press secretary
https://news.sky.com/story/trump-asks-ufc-boss-dana-white-to-become-white-house-press-secretary-13609613 - Al Jazeera — Trump asks UFC chief Dana White to be White House press secretary
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/8/trump-asks-ufc-chief-dana-white-to-be-white-house-press-secretary?traffic_source=rss