Donald Trump has confirmed that his apparent offer to make UFC chief executive Dana White the next White House press secretary was a joke, bringing an end to speculation about one of the more unusual appointments floated during his presidency.

The president had announced on Saturday, November 7, that he had offered his longtime friend the position, even suggesting that several prominent UFC fighters could accompany White to the White House as assistants.

Speaking to reporters in Florida on Sunday, Trump clarified his intentions: "I was only kidding."

He explained that the inclusion of fighters such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje was supposed to make the joke obvious. Trump nevertheless praised White's abilities and suggested the UFC executive had enjoyed the attention surrounding the proposal.

The clarification followed a weekend in which Trump also shared an animated video depicting White taking over the White House briefing room, with UFC fighters attacking journalists who attempted to ask questions. The video reinforced the confrontational imagery of the original announcement, although Trump insisted the proposed appointment was never serious.

Why Dana White's response added to the confusion

White had initially played along with the suggestion, sharing an image of himself behind the White House press briefing podium alongside the caption "On to the next chapter."

Speaking at a boxing event in London on Saturday, he confirmed that he planned to travel to Washington for a meeting with Trump on Monday, November 9.

Asked how he might balance a White House position with his existing professional responsibilities, White replied: "I got a lot of jobs already."

Trump subsequently clarified that the meeting was scheduled for other reasons, rather than negotiations over the press secretary position, according to Reuters.

The distinction matters because a planned meeting between the two men was real, even if the proposed appointment was not.

The White House still needs a press secretary

Behind the UFC jokes is an unresolved staffing issue. The administration has been without a permanent press secretary since Katie Zacharia departed in October after just five days in the position.

Zacharia had succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down at the end of August. Trump's public joke about White therefore concerned an actual vacancy, rather than a position already occupied by another official.

The episode also unfolded during a substantial White House reshuffle. Following Republican defeats in the November 3 midterm elections, which cost the party control of both chambers of Congress, Trump replaced chief of staff Susie Wiles with longtime adviser Stephen Miller on Friday, November 6, as The Associated Press reported.

Unlike the suggestion involving White, Miller's appointment was an actual change to the administration's senior leadership.

The UFC connection goes beyond Trump's friendship with White

Trump and White's relationship stretches back more than two decades. Trump's Taj Mahal casino hosted UFC events in the early 2000s, and White subsequently became a prominent political supporter of the president.

Their association has also extended into Trump's second term, including a UFC event held on the White House lawn in June 2026 as part of celebrations surrounding the 250th anniversary of American independence.

There is an additional connection inside the administration itself. White House communications director Steven Cheung previously worked as a spokesperson for the UFC between 2013 and 2016, as Reuters documented.

That existing professional link helps explain why the relationship between the UFC and Trump's communications operation is more substantial than a weekend social media joke. It does not, however, establish that White has any formal role in the administration.

For now, Trump has withdrawn the suggestion of putting White behind the briefing room podium. The identity of his next White House press secretary remains unannounced.