Dana White takes White House podium: 'I don't tell the President no to anything'

The UFC boss fielded questions in the Brady Briefing Room with Donald Trump beside him, and said he has "zero political aspirations".

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Mon 9 Nov, 22:23 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Dana White at the White House briefing room podium with President Donald Trump standing beside him — Image: The White House

Dana White stood behind the podium of the White House's Brady Briefing Room on Monday and took questions from reporters, with President Donald Trump standing beside him.

"I've always wanted to do this. Who has the first question?" White said as he opened.

Asked whether he had told the President no to the press secretary job, White said: "I don't tell the President no to anything. No, I didn't say no." He added that every media outlet had been calling him and that he "didn't want to be disrespectful and say anything until he said something first".

The UFC chief executive told reporters: "I have zero political aspirations." He said Trump called him while he was in London for a Zuffa Boxing fight, and that "the last 24 hours of my life has been insane."

One reporter asked White for his analysis of a "pound-for-pound UFC cage match" between Trump and former President Joe Biden. White called Trump "the toughest, most resilient human being that I've ever met in my entire life" and "a one-of-one unique human being". Asked if it would be a knockout victory for Trump, he said: "It would be... it would be very bad."

Pressed on a potential pardon for baseball player Pete Rose, White said: "I don't advise the president on anything." Trump also took questions during the briefing.

Trump offered White the job in a Truth Social post and later said: "I was only kidding. But Dana loves the idea."