{
  "id": 19076805,
  "title": "Trump says offer of press secretary role to UFC chief was a joke",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/trump-says-offer-of-press-secretary-role-to-ufc-chief-was-a-joke-19076805",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-09T01:46:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2026/11/09/trump-says-offer-of-press-secretary-role-to-ufc-chief-was-a-joke"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "President Donald Trump jokingly offered UFC CEO Dana White the position of White House press secretary, according to remarks made on Sunday at his Florida airport. The press secretary role, typically one of the administration's most prominent roles, had been unfilled since Katie Zacharia left on October 16 after only a week. White, a 57-year-old longtime friend of the president, declined to comment on the offer during an appearance in London on Saturday, stating he would have more to discuss after meeting with Trump on Monday. The offer came after White's UFC staged a cage fight on the White House South Lawn during Trump's 80th birthday celebration in June, and White was seen onstage with Trump during his 2024 reelection speech. Trump urged White to accept the job, labeling him a \"violent fighter and warrior,\" and suggested the fighters from \"parts unknown\" would indicate it was a jest. Trump affirmed a meeting with White was still scheduled for Monday.",
  "summary": "The press secretary role, one of the administration's most visible positions, has been vacant since Katie Zacharia left less than a week after taking the job.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Could UFC boss Dana White be next White House press secretary?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/could-ufc-boss-dana-white-be-next-white-house-press-secretary",
        "published": "2026-11-08T11:57:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBC News",
        "title": "Trump insists he was 'only kidding' about wanting UFC's Dana White as press secretary",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/trump-insists-he-was-only-kidding-about-wanting-ufcs-dana-white-as",
        "published": "2026-11-08T23:56:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Bernama",
        "title": "World : Trump Says He Was Just Kidding About Making UFC's Dana White Press Secretary",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/world-trump-says-he-was-just-kidding-about-making-ufcs-dana-white",
        "published": "2026-11-09T01:13:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Toronto Sun",
        "title": "Donald Trump says offer of press secretary role to UFC chief was a joke",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/donald-trump-says-offer-of-press-secretary-role-to-ufc-chief-was-a",
        "published": "2026-11-09T01:59:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Deadline",
        "title": "Trump Admits He Was “Only Kidding” About UFC’s Dana White Becoming White House Press Secretary",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/trump-admits-he-was-only-kidding-about-ufcs-dana-white-becoming-white",
        "published": "2026-11-09T03:58:07.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}