Dana White has turned down the White House press secretary job after a weekend of Trump’s overtures

• Dana White has turned down Trump’s offer to be Katie Zacharia’s successor.
• The UFC CEO declined the role of White House press secretary, saying he does not want to be in politics.
• Trump insisted on White filling the role, saying on Truth Social, “Dana, please take the job!”

The tumultuous White House press secretary job vacancy remains open — for now.

Dana White, longtime president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, said on Monday that he will not be the US’s next press secretary, despite President Donald Trump’s many requests.

“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,” he wrote, adding, “Dana, please take the job!”

He reiterated his offer in a presser on Monday, saying White would do a “hell of a job,” before calling the UFC leader to the podium.

White initially skirted around the topic, saying that while he had “no political aspirations,” he doesn’t say no to Trump for anything.

But toward the end of the presser, Trump asked White directly whether he would like to take the job or “stay with this ridiculous UFC.”

“Thank you for the offer, sir,” White replied. “I do not want to be in politics.”

Trump replied that he was “devastated” to hear it, before ending the presser.

A challenging vacancy to fill

Leavitt, 29, took the job as Trump’s press secretary when she was 27 in 2024, which made her the youngest person to fill the role in the White House’s history. But she resigned before the administration hit its halfway mark.

In August, Leavitt wrote on X, “Being a mother and welcoming a new baby while working in one of the most demanding jobs in the world has been the most rewarding yet challenging season of my life, to say the least.”

In a Truth Social post about her departure, Trump called Leavitt “one of my most trusted aides” and said he respected her decision to leave.

Zacharia held a 14-minute press conference on October 13, during which she mostly read from prepared remarks. Later, while answering questions alongside Trump, she was unable to provide a satisfactory answer about where she passed the bar exam, leading to scrutiny of her credentials.

A White House official later told Business Insider that Zacharia would be “transitioning out” of the role.

Read the original article on Business Insider