President Trump admitted he was only kidding when he offered UFC boss Dana White the job of White House press secretary. The joke, it turns out, was mostly at the expense of the people who sit in the briefing room.
On Saturday, Trump took to Truth Social to announce that White had been offered the position, which has been vacant since mid-October. He also suggested that White bring along several UFC fighters to serve as his assistants.
"I am pleased to announce that the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior, has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States," Trump wrote.
"We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left. Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other," he continued. "Dana, please take the job!"
https://t.co/cH8EAvNzFB
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) November 7, 2026
The post came complete with images of the fighters, several of them baring their teeth. It was anything but subtle.
That didn't stop parts of the media from spending the weekend trying to figure out whether he was serious. Al Jazeera even ran a piece asking whether the offer was "a joke or test," after what it described as "hours of speculation."
On Sunday, Trump cleared things up while speaking to reporters in West Palm Beach before returning to Washington, noting that adding the fighters' mugs to the post should have made the joke obvious.
"I was only kidding, but Dana loves the idea, and there's only one Dana. He's great," Trump said.
The president explained the premise. If White took over the podium, surrounded by six of the toughest fighters in the world, reporters would probably think twice before getting cute with their questions.
"So I was kidding, but I think Dana likes the idea, and he is a very capable guy," Trump added.
He later reiterated, "Of course I was kidding."
🚨 President Trump explains that his Dana White press secretary suggestion was a JOKE—but says White liked the idea and others thought it had merit. “I was only KIDDING, but Dana loves the idea, and there’s only one Dana, he’s great.” “That was an example of something where I was kidding, and then people said, you know, that’s actually a pretty good idea.”
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) November 8, 2026
Why did the joke get taken seriously? Well, one, the media runs with everything Trump posts as a literal statement. The guy has been a public figure for decades, and they still haven't picked up on the fact that he has a sense of humor. And he absolutely loves teasing the media.
Two, the comment is rooted in something real. Trump's relationship with the press corps has been combative for years, and plenty of Americans would happily tune in to watch a briefing where the reporters were the ones getting nervous. White has never been shy about pushing back on the media.
The entertainment value alone had people chomping (champing?) at the bit.
The President's joking mood, given what happened during the midterm elections, is another sign that he operates on a different plane. The media wants him miserable after the so-called blue wave. Instead, he's still cracking jokes, and they're still the punchline.
The UFC CEO is still expected at the White House on Monday, though Trump says it's for other reasons.