Donald Trump says he was “kidding” about offering the White House press secretary job to UFC chief Dana White.
The US President had issued a public plea for White to take on the role but a day later clarified that he was only having a “little fun”.
“So I was kidding, but I think Dana likes the idea, and he is a very capable guy,” Trump told reporters.
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“Of course, I was kidding. And you could see that because I put all of the great fighters as his assistants, that they’re all going to come with him … It was just a little fun.”
In his social media post on Saturday Trump had implored White to fill the post left vacant after Katie Zacharia quit less than five days into the job after a heavily-criticised debut appearance.
“Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other,” the president wrote on Truth social.
“Dana, please take the job!”
Trump described the UFC boss as a “violent fighter and warrior” and requested that he bring several high-profile fighters with him, “even though some are not from our country”.
“We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left.”
White later revealed that he would be having a meeting with Trump on Monday.
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The 57-year-old had embraced the social media speculation, posting an Instagram photo of himself behind the lectern in the White House press room.
White was a key figure in Trump’s re-election campaign in 2024 but later declared that he wanted “nothing to do with” politics.
Despite that vow he insisted he was still very much a Trump supporter.
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