US President Donald Trump has announced that he has offered the position of White House spokesperson to Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). White, a close ally of Trump, has not yet accepted the offer. The announcement comes as Trump faces a new Congress with a Democratic majority following the midterm elections. Trump's decision to offer White a role in his administration has been seen as a move to strengthen his team's conservative stance.
The offer to White was made on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social, where he described White as a "fighter and violent warrior". White is currently in London attending a combat event and plans to travel to Washington to meet with Trump on Monday. The UFC president has been a vocal supporter of Trump and has previously appeared at several high-profile events with him, including Trump's 80th birthday celebration at the White House in June, where a MMA tournament was held.
The position of White House spokesperson has been vacant since October 16, when Katie Zacharia was dismissed after just five days in the role. Zacharia, a conservative commentator, had been accused of misrepresenting her qualifications as a lawyer and had given a lackluster performance during her only briefing. Trump has urged White to accept the offer and surround himself with deputies from the MMA world, including two Russians and a Brazilian.
Trump's decision to offer White a role in his administration is seen as a move to counter the Democratic majority in Congress, which has vowed to launch investigations into Trump's government and close allies. The Democratic leadership has stated that one of their priorities will be to investigate Trump, his government, and his associates, including allegations of corruption. Trump's ministers, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Attorney General Todd Blanche, may be particularly vulnerable to these investigations.
Dana White, 57, has been a prominent figure in conservative circles and has described Trump as his "buddy". He has also joined the board of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, which has undergone a conservative shift under Mark Zuckerberg's leadership. If White accepts the offer, he will join Stephen Miller, a hardline conservative adviser, who will take over as White House chief of staff on Monday.
Miller, who has been a key architect of Trump's immigration policy, will assume a highly strategic role, filtering information and people who meet with the president. Trump's announcement has sparked speculation about further changes to his cabinet, with the president hinting at possible moves in an interview with CBS. Trump stated that he likes his current cabinet but may make some changes.
The proposed appointment of White as White House spokesperson has raised questions about the future direction of Trump's administration and its relations with Congress. As the Democratic majority prepares to take control of Congress in January, Trump's team is bracing for a period of intense scrutiny and investigation. The offer to White is seen as a move to bolster Trump's conservative base and prepare for the challenges ahead.
Key points
- Trump offers Dana White, UFC president, a role as White House spokesperson
- The move is seen as a response to the Democratic majority in Congress and potential investigations into Trump's government
- White has not yet accepted the offer and will meet with Trump on Monday to discuss the proposal
