UFC CEO Dana White appeared at a White House press briefing on Monday, November 9, where he turned down the press secretary job offered by President Donald Trump, who in turn admitted that he was joking about it.
Trump earlier took to Truth Social to announce that he was offering White the press secretary job, and hoped he would bring along some of the top UFC fighters to serve as his assistants. Later, White said he was flying to Washington D.C. on Monday to meet with Trump.
"I don't tell the president no to anything," White said during the press briefing. "I didn't say no. Literally every media outlet was calling me and I didn't want to be disrespectful and say anything until he said something first."
Also Read | 'Would have won in a landslide': Trump blames Democratic gains in midterms on him not being on the ballot
Trump later admitted that he was joking about the job offer.
{{/usCountry}}Trump later admitted that he was joking about the job offer.
{{/usCountry}}"We were having a very bad press day and I don't know why, I thought of his name, he's been a friend for a long time," Trump said. "I said I think I'm going to get Dana White to be my new press secretary. I said it to a group of the press and that was it. I was sort of kidding.”
He added, "Then they wrote the stories as though I wasn't kidding and then [Dana] was inundated and I was inundated. He was here anyway and we thought we'd have a little fun and we brought Dana here. He would be fantastic."
Dana White turns down press secretary job offer
After Karoline Leavitt resigned from the position in August, Trump has been searching for a full time press secretary. Trump previously asked White to be White House press secretary in a Truth Social post.
Also Read | Trump vows to become 'Political Pundit' as midterm results deal blow to POTUS
"Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Dana, please take the job!"
On being humorously pressed by Trump for an answer to the offer, White said at the press briefing, "Thank you for the offer, sir. I do not want to be in politics."
Trump replied that he was "devastated,” before the briefing ended.