Trump says ‘only kidding’ about naming UFC’s Dana White as press secretary

US President Donald Trump declared on Sunday that he had only been joking when he proposed naming UFC CEO Dana White as a potential White House press secretary, following a social media post that had earlier sparked speculation about the idea. The comment, made in response to the prospect of Democrats gaining control of Congress, signified Trump's intended combative stance in dealing with the opposition.

Trump stated that White, a prominent supporter, "loves the idea" of the position, but insisted that his initial suggestion was merely "just a little fun". He clarified to reporters that the post featured images of popular UFC fighters as potential assistants to White, all in jest. In a post on Saturday, Trump had described White as a "violent Fighter and Warrior" and suggested the idea of having several current or former UFC champions as assistants to bolster the administration's defense against the "Lunatic Left".

Trump noted that White would visit the White House on Monday for a meeting, but emphasized that the meeting was planned for other purposes. The playful proposal arrives as Trump seeks to fill a real vacancy in the role of press secretary. Currently, the president does not have a press secretary after briefly appointing Katie Zacharia, who reportedly struggled during her brief tenure.

The lack of a press secretary comes amid a wider reshuffling of top administration personnel. On Friday, Trump appointed Stephen Miller, a known architect of the administration's tough immigration policies, as his new chief of staff, replacing Susie Wiles. White, who has been a long-standing ally of Trump and has supported his 2024 presidential campaign, has also appeared alongside the president at various political events and brought UFC fights to the White House lawn this year.