Why Trump wants UFC chief Dana White as his new White House press secretary

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) chief executive Dana White is set to meet United States President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss taking the job of White House press secretary. Trump announced the offer on Saturday, days after his Republican Party suffered record losses in midterm elections. In a post on Truth Social, the president praised White as “a violent Fighter and Warrior” who would bring along leading UFC fighters as “assistants” to “defend us against the Lunatic Left”.

But it remains unclear how serious the offer is. In a news conference on Saturday, White confirmed he would travel to Washington, DC, to meet with Trump. But he also signalled concerns about his existing workload.

“I got a lot of jobs already,” White, a Trump ally and donor, said. “We have a meeting on Monday, so I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about after that.” White also posted a photo to Instagram Stories of himself standing behind the White House podium.