The head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Dana White, has declined the position of White House Press Secretary, which was offered to him by US President Donald Trump, CNN reports, citing a source familiar with the situation.
On Saturday, Trump announced his offer on the social network Truth Social, calling White a "great" and "tough fighter and warrior." The US President also offered to bring six UFC fighters to the White House as aides, including Russian fighters Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
"We need these people to protect us from the crazy leftists. Dana will become a press secretary unlike any other. Dana, please agree," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
One of the President's aides speculated that he might have been joking. However, White House Communications Director Steven Chung defended the initiative by reposting Trump's message and urging White to accept the offer.
At a press conference on Saturday, the UFC leader did not directly comment on the situation. He only mentioned that he intends to meet Trump in Washington on Monday.
Trump has been searching for a new press secretary since August, following the departure of Caroline Leavitt and the dismissal of Katie Zegarra. The latter held the position for only five days, the shortest tenure in history. Leavitt explained her departure by her desire to spend more time with family and became a Fox News commentator in October.
White has been one of Trump’s most prominent supporters for many years. He has spoken at the last three Republican National Conventions and helped Republicans gain young male support, which played a crucial role in Trump's bid to return to the White House in 2024. This summer, the President held a UFC tournament on the White House lawn as part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States.
In the November midterm elections, Democrats gained a majority in both chambers of Congress. On Friday, Trump also announced the dismissal of White House Chief of Staff Suzie Wiles and the appointment of Steven Miller as her replacement. The US President did not rule out other personnel changes.
