US President Donald Trump has offered Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) chief executive Dana White the position of White House press secretary, weeks after Katie Zacharia exited the post following a turbulent five-day tenure. Urging White to accept the role, Trump also asked him to bring several prominent mixed martial arts fighters along as his assistants.In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Saturday, Trump described White as a “violent Fighter and Warrior” and said he wanted him to take charge of the White House press operation.“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.The president also named six fighters he wanted White to bring with him, including Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harris.“I have requested that he bring with him assistants, even though some are not from our Country, of Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris,” Trump said.
Concluding his announcement, Trump expressed confidence that White would bring a different approach to the administration’s communication strategy.“Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!” he wrote, signing off as “President DONALD J. TRUMP”.White, who has led the UFC for more than two decades, has maintained a close relationship with Trump, regularly appearing alongside the president at major events. Their association reached a new milestone in June when the UFC staged UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.The development comes amid a wider reshuffle of Trump’s inner circle following significant Republican losses in the US midterm elections, which saw Democrats make gains in Congress and challenge the administration’s political position.Trump recently announced that Stephen Miller, the administration’s hardline immigration architect, would replace Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff from Monday, November 9.The proposed appointment comes amid a series of changes in the White House press office. Karoline Leavitt stepped down as press secretary in August, saying she wanted to focus on raising her two young children. Her departure came shortly before the crucial midterm elections.Trump subsequently appointed Katie Zacharia to the position. Katie’s tenure lasted just five days before she was removed on October 16 after a widely criticised first briefing. Her debut press conference lasted less than 15 minutes and featured only three questions from reporters.The president subsequently indicated that he had advised her to reconsider the appointment. “I said, ‘Is this for you, Katie? Because honestly, you don’t need this’,” he told reporters, adding, “You don’t have to be treated this badly.”Zacharia later praised Trump on X, describing him as “kind, wonderful, gracious, thoughtful, enthusiastic, and the most hardworking man”.White’s response to Trump’s offer remains awaited.
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