UFC CEO and president Dana White said Saturday, November 7, that he would meet President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, following Trump's social media offer to make him White House press secretary. White did not disclose the purpose of the meeting or indicate that he would accept the position.
Trump announced the offer in a Saturday post that also proposed assistant positions for several current and former UFC fighters. Those named were Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison. The president acknowledged in his post that some of the athletes were not from the United States.
White, 57, initially responded with an AI-generated meme shared through his Instagram stories shortly after Trump's announcement. The post added to speculation about a possible move into the administration, although such a change appeared unlikely. He subsequently confirmed the scheduled presidential meeting while speaking to reporters after Saturday's Zuffa Boxing 12 event in London.
Asked about the situation at the press conference, White joked, "I got a lot of jobs already." He offered no further information about what he and Trump planned to discuss. His remarks left the public offer unresolved ahead of Monday's trip, with no announcement that he would take on the White House role.
White's existing responsibilities extend across several combat sports businesses. He joined UFC in 2001 after his business partners at Zuffa bought the promotion. Alongside his leadership of UFC, he is the public face of Zuffa Boxing and Power Slap, two other brands operating under the TKO Group Holdings banner.
An appointment would put White in the position previously held by Katie Zacharia, who was dismissed in October after five days as press secretary. Her predecessor, Karoline Leavitt, had left the job in August to concentrate on her family.
White and Trump's relationship dates to 2001, when Trump's Taj Mahal casino hosted White's first event as UFC president. Trump, a former fight promoter and casino magnate with a longstanding interest in combat sports, later welcomed White and UFC champion Colby Covington to the White House in 2018 during his first presidential term.
Trump subsequently became a frequent attendee at UFC events while serving as president. In June, he hosted UFC Freedom 250 on the White House south lawn. White has also publicly supported Trump's political campaigns, speaking at the Republican National Convention ahead of each of his three election cycles from 2016 through 2024.
