It seems the jokes write themselves. Just a day after making perhaps one of the most unusual job offers of all time, Donald Trump has seemingly backtracked. For those unaware, the US President publicly offered UFC CEO Dana White a spot in his cabinet as his press secretary.
Interestingly, Trump also named several legendary UFC fighters he would like to see join his team. The idea was supposedly to combat the “lunatic left” after Republicans suffered a major defeat in the 2026 midterm elections, losing control of Congress.
White appeared to play along with the offer, posting a picture of himself standing at the White House podium on his Instagram Story. He captioned it, “On to the next chapter,” alongside a screenshot of Trump’s announcement.
Moreover, the UFC CEO confirmed that he would meet Trump on November 9 after returning to the States from the Zuffa Boxing 12 event in London. However, the President has now clarified that the offer was actually a joke, although he still believes it might not be such a bad idea.
Donald Trump Confirms Dana White Is Still Visiting Washington Despite Press Secretary Offer Backtrack
During a conversation with Fox Sports, Trump said, “I posted the greatest wrestlers and UFC fighters in the world, right? Like Khabib, like Dustin, Justin Gaethje, who’s phenomenal, and you see a lot of rough faces there.”
The 80-year-old then explained that he wasn’t being serious with the offer, but admitted that White seemed interested in the idea.
He said, “And you would have thought that people would say, ‘He’s having a good time.’ I will tell you, I was only kidding. But Dana loves the idea. There’s only one Dana. You wouldn’t mess around with him so much. But Dana is actually coming tomorrow.”
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Trump also clarified that White’s visit was for other reasons. According to the President, the UFC boss was already planning to be in Washington and would simply stop by to see him. However, the idea apparently started gaining traction after people suggested it could actually work. He added, “And then people said, you know, that’s actually a pretty good idea.”
The bizarre exchange comes just weeks after Katie Zacharia’s departure as press secretary, following just five days in the position in October. Zacharia had been appointed to replace Karoline Leavitt, who left the role in August.
Dana White Reportedly Became the Subject of a White House Mix-Up
While Trump has now brushed off the offer as a joke, another theory suggests the entire episode may have started with a rather amusing case of mistaken identity.
According to reporters familiar with the White House, Trump’s announcement came after his former chief of staff, Susie Wiles, suggested “another Dana White” for the press secretary position. This Dana W. White has previously served as the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and was a much more fitting candidate for the role.
She has also worked with the Heritage Foundation and served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs under General James Mattis during Trump’s first presidential term. However, instead of bringing in the former Pentagon spokesperson, Trump ended up posting about the UFC CEO, leading to one of the strangest mix-ups in recent White House history.
Former Pentagon spokeswoman during Trump’s first administration: https://t.co/hsRqkjCMj9
— Jake Tapper 🦅 (@jaketapper) November 8, 2026
Whether it was a joke, a misunderstanding, or a genuine idea that got out of hand, it certainly made for an unusual 24 hours for the UFC boss. Just another day in the world of Trump loyalists and UFC fans.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
