Two years after insisting he wanted “nothing to do with politics,” Dana White now finds himself being considered for one of the most visible jobs in Washington by his longtime friend, Donald Trump.
On Saturday afternoon, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the “Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior” had been offered the position of White House press secretary. Trump followed the announcement with a direct appeal: “Dana, please take the job!”
White, the UFC president, responded minutes later by sharing an Instagram image of himself standing behind the White House briefing-room lectern. The caption read: “On to the next chapter.”
It was unclear whether the post represented a genuine acceptance or simply an inside joke between two longtime friends.
White, who was in London for a Zuffa Boxing event, later told reporters that he was flying to Washington, DC, “right now” for a meeting scheduled on Monday.
As speculation surrounding the possible appointment grows, a source close to the UFC chief says White is weighing the demands of the life he has created against his loyalty to a friend he has seldom turned down.
Dana White and Donald Trump have built an unlikely friendship over nearly three decades
Trump made the remarkable decision on Saturday to offer White the role of Press Secretary
“Dana is incredibly honored that the president would even consider him for a position of this magnitude,” the source told the Daily Mail.
“But the reality is that taking the job would be absolutely crazy when you consider everything he already has on his plate.”
White operates the UFC’s Power Slap promotion from Las Vegas, a controversial competition in which participants take turns striking one another across the face. He has also expanded into boxing, with preparations underway for the much-anticipated heavyweight clash between British stars Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
According to the source, abandoning those ventures for a White House office and the daily pressure of facing the press would be a major sacrifice—and one White is not eager to make.
“He doesn’t want the position, he has no desire to uproot his life and relocate, and genuinely questions whether he would have the time to give it the attention it deserves.”
Even so, the insider said the 57-year-old promoter is facing “a very unusual position where the opportunity might simply be too big to turn down.”
White’s instincts have always been rooted in promotion, and the source believes he can see potential advantages for the company he has spent 25 years developing.
“The power and influence that come with the role are something Dana believes could be leveraged to take the UFC to an entirely new level and potentially accomplish things that the organization hasn’t even imagined yet,” they said.
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The insider says White is in ‘a very unusual position where the opportunity might simply be too big to turn down’
Trump has regularly attended UFC events amid his close relationship with White
“As much as he doesn’t want to do it, he may ultimately feel he has little choice but to step up, even if it’s only on a temporary basis.”
Those close to White, however, are finding it difficult to imagine him taking on another enormous responsibility. “It’s a crazy scenario to imagine Dana taking on another massive responsibility like this,” the source said.
Should White agree to the role, the source indicated that he would prefer to serve only briefly, while Trump searches for a permanent replacement.
The potential appointment comes during a turbulent period for the administration. Trump’s previous press secretary, Katie Zacharia, resigned in October after just five days in the position.
White has also previously promised to stay away from politics, despite helping Trump win the 2024 election.
Speaking to the New Yorker in 2024, White said he was “never f***ing doing this again,” describing politics as “gross” and “disgusting.”
His relationship with Trump, however, has traditionally been personal rather than overtly political. In 2001, when the UFC was struggling to find suitable venues, Trump gave the young promotion access to his properties in Atlantic City.
The vacancy comes at a messy time for the administration after Trump’s last press secretary, Katie Zacharia, quit in October
Trump and White pictured back in 2020 ahead of a ‘Keep America Great’ rally in Colorado
White has long remembered that support and has repeatedly welcomed Trump as a ringside guest at major UFC events.
Their bond was again on display in June on the White House South Lawn, where Trump invited White to stage his UFC Freedom 250 event in the center of Washington, DC.
People familiar with White’s thinking say that history of loyalty is what makes the outcome of Monday’s meeting so difficult to predict.
“In other words, he may not want the job, but he also recognizes that saying no to Donald Trump, and an opportunity like this, isn’t quite as easy as he’d like it to be.”
The Daily Mail has contacted White’s representatives, the UFC and the White House for comment.