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Newsbrief

Trump says press secretary offer to Dana White was a joke

Published

US President Donald Trump told reporters in Florida on Sunday that he was only kidding, though he said White likes the idea. A meeting between Trump and the UFC chief was still planned for Monday.

Trump spoke on the tarmac of his namesake airport in Florida. He said his joke was clear because he named great fighters as White's assistants. On Saturday, Trump had urged White in a social media post to take the job.

White is the 57-year-old president and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He said he would have more to talk about after meeting Trump on Monday.

The post of White House press secretary is open. Katie Zacharia left it on 16 October.

Key facts

Who
Donald Trump (US President); Dana White (President and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)); Katie Zacharia (former White House press secretary who left the post on October 16)
What
Trump told reporters on the tarmac of his namesake airport in Florida that he was only kidding about offering White the press secretary job, though Dana loves the idea. A meeting between Trump and White was still planned for Monday.
When
8 November 2026
Where
Florida, London
Status
Reported

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