Trump offers press secretary role to UFC CEO Dana White
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President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had offered UFC president and CEO Dana White the job of press secretary.
“I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
It was unclear whether White had accepted the job. The position has been vacant ever since Katie Zacharia was fired October 16, five days into the job, after a single, widely panned press briefing.
The offer signals a second potential shake-up in the White House since Tuesday’s midterm elections which saw Democrats regained control of both the House and Senate. On Friday, Trump announced that Stephen Miller would replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff.
On Saturday, Trump also named six prominent mixed martial arts fighters he wanted White to bring on as assistants, including fighters from Russia and Brazil.
“I have requested that he bring with him assistants, even though some are not from our Country, of Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris,” Trump wrote.
“We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left,” Trump wrote. “Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!”
White, a longtime friend of the president, has no government experience, though he has gotten into explosive exchanges with reporters. This summer, he helped organize UFC Freedom 250, the MMA event held on the White House lawn to celebrate Trump’s 80th birthday. White’s net worth is estimated to be about $600 million, according to Forbes.
White has not publicly responded to Trump’s offer, but he has since shared several social media posts promoting the UFC.
The White House has been without a press secretary since Zacharia was fired last month, following a debut briefing that lasted just 14 minutes and drew criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
“No wonder that poor young woman — she was a perfect, beautiful woman — when she walked into that press room and they started screaming at her, she freaked out,” Trump said. Defending herself, Zacharia said she was not given enough time to prepare.
Her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, served as the president’s chief spokesperson for 19 months before leaving in August to spend more time with her family.
During his first term, the president had four press secretaries: Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany.
