Trump offers press secretary role to UFC chief Dana White

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Saturday he was offering a press secretary role to mixed martial arts executive and "violent fighter" Dana White.

"I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.

"Dana, please take the job!" he said.

While White did not explicitly accept the job, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boss posted a photo – possibly AI-generated – that showed him behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room, captioned "On to the next chapter."

The White House has been without a press secretary since Oct 16 when Katie Zacharia left the position after less than a week on the job.

White, 57, is president and CEO of the UFC, the largest and most successful organisation in the world of mixed martial arts. UFC's violent cage fights are broadcast across the globe.

Trump also listed six UFC fighters that he hoped White would bring to the White House as advisers, "even though some are not from our Country."

Two of the fighters mentioned are Russian and one is Brazilian.

The White House amplified the announcement by publishing a screenshot of the president's post on one of its official accounts.

Trump and White are old friends, and Trump has often tried to associate his MAGA brand of politics with the hugely popular UFC.

On his 80th birthday in June, UFC held a bloody cage match on the White House South Lawn. He has also attended bouts in Miami, New York and New Jersey since winning his second White House term.

When Trump won reelection in 2024, White appeared alongside the Republican for his victory speech.

Since Trump's reelection, White has joined the board of directors of Meta, which many saw as a sign of the tech company's conservative shift.--AFP