The UFC chief, 57, confirmed he will meet the President on Monday but would not say whether he will accept. Reports conflict over whether he is considering the role or has already turned it down.
Dana White has broken his silence over Donald Trump’s offer of the White House press secretary job, saying he is flying to Washington DC to meet the President on Monday. The UFC chief, 57, laughed when a reporter asked him about it at a press conference in London on Saturday. “I’m flying to Washington DC right now,” he said. He would not say whether he had already discussed the post with Mr Trump, or whether he intends to take it.
What White said
White confirmed that he would meet his longtime friend at the White House. “I’m sure we’ll have more to talk about after that,” he said. Pressed on whether he wanted the job, he replied: “I’ve got a lot of jobs already.”
He was in London for Zuffa Boxing 12 at the Copper Box Arena on 7 November. The event is part of his boxing venture, which he runs with Saudi Arabian financial partners, according to the Associated Press. The AP reported that he used the press conference to discuss plans to expand the organisation internationally. No announcement has been made about how his existing roles would be handled if he joined the administration.
Conflicting accounts
Reports have differed on how seriously the offer was made. TMZ reported, citing sources with direct knowledge, that White would meet Mr Trump in the Oval Office on Monday to discuss the position. CNN, citing a source familiar with the matter, said he had already turned it down. One White House aide told CNN that the President had been joking.
The accounts emerged only hours after Mr Trump publicly urged White to take the job. He even suggested that White bring a team of UFC fighters to help him take on the “Lunatic Left”. The White House has not announced an appointment.
Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, who previously worked for the UFC, reposted the offer with the words: “Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!” Reuters reported on his UFC background, and CNN reported that White House officials have not clarified whether the offer is a formal recruitment effort.
The AI-generated image
White also posted an image on Instagram showing him behind the White House press secretary’s podium, captioned “On to the next chapter”. The post appeared before he answered questions in London. ABC News Australia identified the image as AI-generated, and The Washington Post reported that an AI-detection system had flagged it as artificially created or altered. The post is not an acceptance of the role, and White has not said he intends to become press secretary, according to AP.
Why the post matters
The job has become more prominent since Republicans lost the midterm elections, which handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress and the power to investigate the administration. Mr Trump is looking for a new spokesperson after the short tenure of Katie Zacharia, who is reported to have been fired after one difficult press briefing.
ABC News gave a different account on 16 October, saying Ms Zacharia was expected to move into another administration role and that Mr Trump had asked her to reconsider staying on as press secretary. Karoline Leavitt left the position at the end of August 2026, according to Euronews, and Mr Trump said she would continue to work with him as an outside adviser.
The vacancy comes alongside another change at the top of the White House. Mr Trump announced on 6 November that Stephen Miller would replace Susie Wiles as chief of staff, starting on Monday 9 November, the same day White says he will meet the President. CBS News reported that Ms Wiles submitted her resignation on Thursday evening, and that three people familiar with the situation linked it to the midterm defeats. She is expected to move into Mr Trump’s political operation, according to the broadcaster. There is no public evidence that Mr Miller has approved White as spokesperson.
A long relationship
White and Mr Trump have known each other since the early 2000s, when Mr Trump’s casino properties hosted UFC events, according to Reuters. White has spoken at three Republican National Conventions, in 2016, 2020 and 2024, the AP reported.
On 14 June 2026, the UFC staged its Freedom 250 event on the White House South Lawn, marking America’s 250th anniversary and Mr Trump’s 80th birthday. A purpose-built Octagon was installed outside the executive mansion, along with a large temporary structure nicknamed The Claw, according to the AP.
The pay question
The White House’s 2026 staff salary report lists senior presidential assistants at $195,200 a year. Mediaite estimates that White earns about $20m a year in his UFC role. That is media-reported compensation and not a figure confirmed in UFC filings. If correct, a White House salary at that level would be a cut of more than 99%. There is no confirmed pay package or employment arrangement for White, and it is not known whether he would give up his current roles.
