Will UFC's Dana White be Trump's press secretary?

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that UFC boss Dana White could assume the role of White House press secretary. Trump first voiced this idea on Truth Social, a social media platform, on Saturday. He followed up on Sunday with a post featuring a cartoon of White presiding over a White House press briefing. In the cartoon, White is seen leading the briefing while standing behind a podium, flanked by fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.

The image, which depicts reporters being physically removed from the room, is expected to spark controversy, given the Trump administration's strained relationship with the media. Despite being a long-time supporter and donor to Trump, it is improbable that White would accept a press secretary position if the offer were genuine.

In June, the UFC held its first professional sporting event on the South Lawn of the White House, an event marred by controversial remarks made by one of the athletes about former first lady Michelle Obama. White later distanced himself from these comments. According to NBC, White indicated on Saturday night that he would visit Washington on Monday to meet with Trump.

He reportedly told several media outlets in London, "We have a meeting on Monday, so sure, I’ll have more to talk about after that." On Saturday, White also shared a photo on Instagram's Insta Story feature, showing him standing behind the White House press room podium. Speculation and controversy surrounding the position have intensified in recent weeks.

Trump's decision to appoint Katie Zacharia to the role in the wake of Karoline Leavitt's departure proved to be a misstep. Critics noted Zacharia's lack of preparedness and knowledge of various issues during her initial briefing. Following a particularly poor performance on Fox News, known for its pro-Trump stance, Zacharia resigned after just five days in the position. The role remains unfilled.