Dana White has rejected the White House Press Secretary role, saying he has no interest in entering politics. White addressed the offer during a surprise appearance alongside President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, November 9.
The moment followed days of speculation after Trump publicly announced the proposal on Truth Social. “Thank you for the offer, sir. I do not want to be in politics,” White told the president. Trump responded humorously, saying he felt “devastated” by the decision before leaving the briefing room.
The exchange clarified White’s position after the president’s announcement attracted widespread attention. Trump had posted on Saturday, November 7, that he wanted the UFC chief to become his press secretary. He also suggested that several prominent mixed martial arts fighters could join White as assistants.
Among the names Trump mentioned were Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes. The unusual proposal quickly sparked debate across sports and political circles. However, Trump later explained that he had been joking about the offer.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, he said the idea came during what he described as a difficult press day. He added that White would nevertheless perform well in the position. White’s appearance at the White House briefing provided the clearest answer.
The longtime Trump ally said he had avoided commenting earlier because he did not want to appear disrespectful. He explained that media organisations had contacted him repeatedly after the announcement.
Despite their longstanding friendship, White made clear that he prefers his current position. He has led the UFC for decades and helped transform mixed martial arts into a major global sports business.
The press secretary position became vacant after Katie Zacharia left the role in October, following only five days. Her departure followed Karoline Leavitt’s exit in August.
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