President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he offered the White House press secretary position to Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White after Katie Zacharia’s ousting last month.
“Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other,” Trump told followers on Truth Social. “Dana, please take the job!”
Trump’s offer comes just after Zacharia, the former White House press secretary, left the position after a disastrous five days.
White responded to the president’s offer in an Instagram story, featuring a photo of himself at the White House podium with the caption, “On to the next chapter.” However, a source familiar with the matter told CNN on Saturday that White declined the offer.
White was later asked about the opportunity at a news conference for a boxing event in London.
“I’m flying to Washington DC right now,” he said, “we’re going to have a meeting on Monday so I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about after that.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost.
The MMA and combat sports mogul previously collaborated with the president to bring the controversial UFC Freedom 250 event to the White House South Lawn earlier this summer. The event reportedly lost millions for the company.
White has been embroiled in multiple controversies as a figure in the manosphere, including being captured on video slapping his wife Anne White at a New Year’s Eve party in 2022. He apologized for the incident, and the two remained married.
