{
  "id": 19122642,
  "title": "Trump says he was 'only kidding' about naming UFC CEO as White House press secretary",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/trump-says-he-was-only-kidding-about-naming-ufc-ceo-as-white-house",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-09T08:58:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn",
    "slug": "dawn",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2043266/trump-says-he-was-only-kidding-about-naming-ufc-ceo-as-white-house-press-secretary"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Donald Trump, in a Sunday press conference, clarified that his earlier suggestion of Dana White, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO, as a White House press secretary was \"only kidding\". The comment came after a social media post that sparked discussions about the possibility of hiring White, a known supporter, and sparked speculation about his role in the upcoming Democratic-led Congress.\n\nTrump insisted on the humorous nature of his proposal, stating, \"I was only kidding.\" He added that White, a prominent supporter of his, \"loves the idea\" of the job, but clarified that his intent was not to be taken seriously. Trump revealed that the post featured photographs of UFC fighters, including prominent and former champions, as potential assistants to White, which he deemed as a part of the joke.\n\nWhite was scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Monday, although the meeting was not directly related to the press secretary role. White, who has been a long-standing ally of Trump and a key figure in mobilising support for his 2024 presidential campaign, has also appeared with Trump at various political events. In addition, White has facilitated bringing UFC fights to the White House lawn this year.",
  "summary": "US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he was “only kidding” when he suggested Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Chief Executive Officer Dana White could become his next White House press secretary, after a social media post a day earlier stirred speculation about recruiting his feisty ally and signalled a combative approach to dealing with Democrats as they prepare to take control of…",
  "key_points": [
    "Trump clarified his earlier suggestion of Dana White as White House press secretary was only kidding",
    "White, UFC CEO and Trump supporter, loves the idea of the press secretary role",
    "Meeting with Trump on Monday was not related to the press secretary role"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}