'Dana, please take the job!' - Trump asks UFC boss to be White House press secretary

November 8, 2026

President Donald Trump publicly offered the position of White House press secretary to UFC CEO Dana White via a Truth Social post, calling him "a Press Secretary like none other" and asking him to bring prominent UFC fighters to help "defend us against the Lunatic Left. " The job became available after Katie Zacharia resigned in mid-October after less than five days in the role, following Republican losses in midterm elections. White, who was in London for a UFC event when the offer was made, confirmed he would meet with Trump on Monday but noted he already has multiple demanding jobs, including leading UFC, Power Slap, and Zuffa Boxing, plus serving on Meta's board.

Who is affected

Dana White, UFC CEO
Donald Trump, US President
Katie Zacharia, former White House press secretary who quit
Steven Cheung, White House communications director
Six high-profile UFC fighters mentioned by Trump (including Russian fighter Islam Makhachev)
White House press corps and journalists
Republican Party following midterm election losses

What action is being taken

Trump is publicly offering the White House press secretary position to Dana White via social media
Dana White is flying to Washington DC for a meeting with Trump scheduled for Monday
Steven Cheung is publicly endorsing White's potential appointment on social media

Why it matters

This matters because the White House press secretary is a critical communications role that has been vacant since mid-October, and the unconventional public recruitment of a sports executive with no political communications experience reflects the administration's ongoing instability following Republican midterm losses. White's combative style with journalists and lack of traditional qualifications would represent a dramatic departure from typical press secretary appointments, potentially further straining relationships between the White House and the media at a politically vulnerable time for the administration.

What's next

Dana White has a scheduled meeting with Trump on Monday in Washington DC
White and Trump will discuss the job offer during their meeting

Read full article from source: BBC