Dana White makes surprise move after Trump offers him top White House job
WASHINGTON, DC: Dana White, UFC's CEO, is heading to Washington, DC, for a meeting with President Donald Trump after receiving an unexpected offer to become the next White House press secretary. White confirmed he would be flying out Saturday, with the meeting scheduled for Monday, where the two are expected to discuss the job and other matters.
Speaking to reporters in London at the Zuffa Boxing 12 event, White confirmed his upcoming trip but did not reveal whether he would accept the position. When asked about the possibility of stepping into the press secretary role, he suggested he already had plenty of responsibilities.
Trump offers Dana White the White House press secretary role
Trump publicly announced the offer on Truth Social on Saturday, naming White as his choice to replace Katie Zacharia, whose tenure as White House press secretary lasted just five days.
“I’m flying to Washington, D.C. right now,” White told reporters in London at the Zuffa Boxing 12 event Saturday.
The UFC boss said he had a meeting scheduled with Trump on Monday, where the two would discuss the offer and other issues.
“I have a lot of jobs already,” he said.
“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 declared.
“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,” he added.
White's upcoming meeting with Trump could provide more clarity on whether he is considering the unexpected career move. However, his initial response suggested he was not ready to commit to the position.
Katie Zacharia's brief tenure followed rocky media appearances
Zacharia faced criticism even after her first briefing. She drew backlash for both of her Fox News appearances, particularly her interview on Sean Hannity's show on October 15.
POLITICO called the Hannity appearance a “sanctioned hit” orchestrated by Susie Wiles, Trump's former chief of staff, who reportedly never supported Zacharia's hiring in the first place.
Zacharia's short stint also drew comparisons with other brief tenures in Trump's communications team. Anthony Scaramucci, who served as White House communications director in 2017, lasted just 11 days in the position.
He was fired after giving The New Yorker a profanity-laced interview in which he criticized other administration officials.
Zacharia was visibly nervous during her first and only press conference on October 13. She ended the briefing after just 14 minutes, having called on only three reporters.
She frequently referred to her notes during the appearance and once referred to her own husband as the president.
Zacharia later attributed her performance to a lack of sleep, saying she woke up at “3 am in the morning” that day and did not have enough time to prepare before the press conference.
White's potential appointment would mark another unexpected addition to Trump's communications team, although the UFC executive has yet to indicate whether he intends to leave his existing responsibilities behind.
