In brief

• Trump said he offered UFC president Dana White the job of White House press secretary and asked him to bring several fighters onto his team.
• A source told CNN that White is not willing to take the post, and a Trump aide said the offer was a joke.
• The post has been unstable since Karoline Leavitt resigned in August 2026 and her successor was dismissed on October 16.

Trump's offer and the list of fighters

Trump announced the offer on his Truth Social account, describing White as a tough fighter and warrior. He wrote that he had asked White to recruit assistants, even those who are not citizens of the United States, and named Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison. (Трамп предложил главе UFC Дане Уайту пост пресс-секретаря Белого дома. Тот не согласился – Meduza) (Трамп предложил главе UFC должность в Белом доме и посоветовал ему российских бойцов в помощники – NV) (Нова “команда” Трампа: президент США запропонував двом росіянам роботу в Білому домі – TSN) Trump said the fighters were needed to shield the country from what he described as radical leftists. (Трамп запропонував посаду речника Білого дому главі спортивної організації UFC – Європейська правда) (Трамп запропонував залучити росіянина до охорони Білого дому – UNIAN) He also misspelled Harrison's surname in the post.

White's response

According to a source cited by CNN, White is not willing to take the press secretary job. (Глава UFC Дана Уайт отказался от предложения Трампа стать пресс-секретарем Белого дома — CNN – NV) White himself said only that he planned to travel to Washington on Monday, November 9, to meet Trump. An aide to the president told CNN that Trump had been joking when he made the offer.

Background

The post has been vacant in changing ways. Karoline Leavitt, who held it during Trump's second term, resigned at the end of August 2026. Her successor, conservative commentator Cathy Zacharia, was named in October but lasted less than a week and was dismissed on October 16. (Трамп заявив, що пропонує президенту UFC посаду речника Білого дому – Українська правда) White and Trump have long had business and personal ties. White organized a large celebration of Trump's 80th birthday at the White House that included UFC fights on the lawn.

Other changes in the administration

Trump also said chief of staff Susie Wiles is leaving her post and will be replaced by deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. The announcement came as the White House faces losses for Trump's party in the midterm elections to Congress.

Read also

• Trump says he offered UFC chief Dana White the White House press secretary job