Dana White turns down Trump's press secretary job: 'I do not want to be in politics'

Pressed by Donald Trump for an answer at the White House briefing, the UFC chief executive said no, and Trump said he was "devastated" before ending it.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Mon 9 Nov, 22:53 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Dana White and Donald Trump shake hands in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House — Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Dana White has turned down President Donald Trump's offer to make him White House press secretary.

When Trump pressed him for an answer at Monday's White House press briefing, White said: "Thank you for the offer, sir. I do not want to be in politics." Trump said he was "devastated" before ending the briefing.

Earlier in the briefing, asked whether he had told the President no, White had said: "I don't tell the president no to anything. I didn't say no." He also told reporters he has "zero political aspirations".

Trump, who made the offer on Truth Social, explained how it came about. "We were having a very bad press day and I don't know why, I thought of his name, he's been a friend for a long time," Trump said. "I said I think I'm going to get Dana White to be my new press secretary. I said it to a group of the press and that was it. I was sort of kidding."

He added: "Then they wrote the stories as though I wasn't kidding and then [Dana] was inundated and I was inundated. He was here anyway and we thought we'd have a little fun and we brought Dana here. He would be fantastic."

Trump has been searching for a full-time press secretary since Karoline Leavitt resigned from the role in August.