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Dana White describes the 48 hours that nearly saw him become press secretary: ‘This is crazy’

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Cite

Lubin, R. (2026, November 13). Dana White describes the 48 hours that nearly saw him become press secretary: ‘This is crazy’. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/dana-white-trump-press-secretary-b3084793.html

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

The Independent · collected 2026-11-13 · by Rhian Lubin

Quick Summary

UFC President Dana White recounted a "crazy 48 hours" in which Donald Trump invited him to the White House to participate in a press conference on topics like the Iran war and Pete Hegseth. Following a November 7 Truth Social post where Trump offered White the press secretary role after firing Katie Zacharia, the pair stood at the James S. Brady briefing room lectern to take questions from reporters. Trump later characterized the offer as a joke made during a "very bad press day" because he viewed White as a longtime friend, while White noted he did not refuse the request because he does not tell the president "no" to anything.
Written by AI on 2026-11-14, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).
See how they differ ↓

AI analysis

Story summary

President Donald Trump offered Dana White, the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the position of White House press secretary on Saturday, November 7, 2026. In a post on Truth Social, Trump described White as a "violent Fighter and Warrior" and requested that he bring a group of prizefighters as assistants. On Monday, November 9, White visited Washington and stood at the White House podium to answer questions from the press corps, an appearance that caused a scramble among aides who had not yet placed the presidential seal on the podium. While The Daily Caller reported that White had declined the offer, White later spoke on Fox News about the "crazy 48 hours" of the situation and joked that his life had been "insane" since the proposal. During the White House press conference, the pair took questions on topics including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Iran war, and Jensen Huang. White also discussed his personal ambitions to expand his Zuffa Boxing organization with Saudi Arabian backers.

Written for “Dana White declines press secretary role” on 2026-11-14, grounded in this article and the 55 other(s) covering the same event.

How they differ

27 outlets covered “Dana White declines press secretary role”.

What each outlet says

One AI summary per outlet of its latest article on this story, written from that article alone and checked against it. Open the article for the outlet's own words.

The IndependentThis outlet13 Nov

UFC President Dana White recounted a "crazy 48 hours" in which Donald Trump invited him to the White House to participate in a press conference on topics like the Iran war and Pete Hegseth. Following a November 7 Truth Social post where Trump offered White the press secretary role after firing Katie Zacharia, the pair stood at the James S. Brady briefing room lectern to take questions from reporters. Trump later…

Dana White describes the 48 hours that nearly saw him become press secretary: ‘This is crazy’ (this article)5 articles from The Independent on this story
Al Jazeera10 Nov

Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), met with US President Donald Trump during a visit to Washington and addressed questions at the White House podium. White humorously remarked that his life had become "insane" after Trump suggested he could serve as the new White House press secretary.

UFC CEO Dana White takes the White House podium during Washington visit →4 articles from Al Jazeera on this story
The Straits Times10 Nov

US President Donald Trump caused chaos in the White House briefing room on November 9 when he unexpectedly brought in Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), as a guest. Despite earlier teasing about offering White the press secretary position, Trump used this occasion to joke that White could serve as press secretary if he wanted. However, White declined the offer and reiterated his lack of…

Trump sets off bedlam in White House briefing room with UFC chief Dana White →4 articles from The Straits Times on this story
Washington Examiner9 Nov

During an impromptu White House press briefing on Monday, President Donald Trump acknowledged that his weekend suggestion of appointing Dana White, the president of UFC, as the next White House press secretary was merely a joke made during what he described as a “very bad press day.” Trump also commented that the U.S. would likely not resume military operations in Iran.

Trump says he floated Dana White for press secretary during ‘very bad press day’ →3 articles from Washington Examiner on this story
The Daily Wire10 Nov

Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), attended a press briefing at the White House where President Donald Trump joked about offering him the role of press secretary. Initially playing along with laughter from those present, White later clarified that he has no interest in political office and would prefer to remain in his current position. When pressed directly by Trump, White firmly…

Dana White Officially Turns Down Press Secretary Role: ‘I Have Zero Political Aspirations’ →3 articles from The Daily Wire on this story
CBS News10 Nov

During a surprise White House press conference that featured President Trump and UFC CEO Dana White, Rep.-elect Scott Wiener of California gave an interview to CBS News expressing his disagreement with the president's views on Iran, the economy, and immigration issues, stating that "President Trump is not connected to reality" regarding these topics.

Rep.-elect Scott Wiener says Trump is "not connected to reality" on Iran, economy, immigration →3 articles from CBS News on this story
Show 21 more outlets
The Guardian9 Nov

Donald Trump clarified on Sunday that his previous statement offering Dana White, CEO of the UFC, the position of White House press secretary was just a joke. He made this announcement after initially making the surprising claim on Saturday. The video focuses on Trump's retraction and specifies it as a humorous comment rather than a serious job offer.

Donald Trump 'kidding' about making UFC boss Dana White US press secretary – video →3 articles from The Guardian on this story
Just the News10 Nov

Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), appeared alongside President Donald Trump at a White House press briefing on Monday. This followed Trump's earlier joke about offering White the position of White House press secretary. During the event in the Brady Briefing Room, White declined to offer advice or comment on sensitive matters like potential pardons for Pete Rose. Both White and Trump…

UFC's Dana White takes podium at White House press briefing →3 articles from Just the News on this story
CBC9 Nov

U.S. President Donald Trump clarified on Sunday that he was joking when suggesting Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), could become his next press secretary. Trump claimed it was not a serious proposal but rather "just a little fun," despite previous social media posts depicting UFC fighters as potential staff members to defend against what Trump called the "Lunatic Left." The president…

Trump insists he was 'only kidding' about wanting UFC's Dana White as press secretary →2 articles from CBC on this story
NBC News10 Nov

President Donald Trump held an impromptu news briefing where he defended Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from recent controversies. Trump downplayed efforts by Rep. Thomas Massie to impeach Hegseth, praising him for his work despite ongoing peace talks with Iran stalling. He also supported Huang after reports emerged that the CEO was involved with an alleged Chinese spy, saying he believes…

Trump defends Jensen Huang and Pete Hegseth at surprise news briefing with Dana White →2 articles from NBC News on this story
The Hindu10 Nov

Dana White, CEO of UFC, declined President Donald Trump's offer to become press secretary during an unexpected appearance at the White House on Monday, November 9, 2026. The 80-year-old president had jokingly offered the position via social media a day earlier, leading to speculation about his post-midterm election strategy; however, he clarified that it was just for fun. Despite Trump's playful remarks and praise…

UFC chief Dana White declines Donald Trump's White House job offer →2 articles from The Hindu on this story
Daily Mail9 Nov

President Donald Trump held an unexpected press conference on Monday where he brought along Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), after jokingly offering him the position of White House press secretary earlier in the week. Despite his initial joke, Trump and White both participated in the briefing for "a little fun," with White clarifying that he does not want a political job. During this event…

Trump parades Dana White out in wild White House press conference after fake press secretary tease →2 articles from Daily Mail on this story
Fox News9 Nov

At a White House press briefing, President Donald Trump addressed speculation about appointing UFC CEO Dana White as his press secretary, clarifying it was a joke after a tough news day. During the event, White emphasized he has no political ambitions and joked about a hypothetical fight between Trump and former President Joe Biden, praising Trump's resilience. The article also touches on Trump’s interest in…

Dana White takes questions at podium during White House briefing with Trump →2 articles from Fox News on this story
Toronto Sun9 Nov

Dana White, CEO of the UFC, told TMZ he’s heading to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with President Donald Trump regarding a potential role as White House press secretary. Though Trump initially made the offer on Truth Social and called it a joke, White seems open to discussing the position further. Meanwhile, confusion surrounds another Dana White who works in Pentagon public affairs but has clarified that she is…

Dana White says he’s ‘meeting’ with Trump about press secretary role: ‘MORE TO TALK ABOUT’ →2 articles from Toronto Sun on this story
Dawn10 Nov

President Donald Trump brought Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), unexpectedly into the White House press briefing room on Monday, causing a stir among reporters. Despite previous jokes about offering White the role of White House Press Secretary after heavy Republican losses in the midterm elections, both Trump and White made it clear that this was not a serious offer; White explicitly…

Trump sets off bedlam in White House briefing room with UFC chief's appearance →2 articles from Dawn on this story
BBC9 Nov

Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, turned down President Donald Trump's offer to serve as the next White House press secretary. The president had initially proposed the idea on social media over the weekend and joked about it during a briefing when he asked White if he would accept. However, at the briefing, White stated that he was not interested in entering politics and declined the position.

Dana White declines Trump’s offer to be White House press secretary →2 articles from BBC on this story
New York Post9 Nov

President Trump held an unexpected press briefing at the White House on Monday that included UFC CEO Dana White, who joked about not having political ambitions and wasn’t going to become Trump's spokesperson. During the event, which was described as wild, Trump warned reporters he would “beat the hell out of you,” referring to the physical nature of UFC matches. White also engaged with a question about whether Trump…

Trump holds White House briefing with UFC’s Dana White, warns reporters he’ll ‘beat the hell out of you’ in wild presser →2 articles from New York Post on this story
Mother Jones8 Nov

President Donald Trump offered Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the role of White House press secretary on Truth Social. Trump also suggested that White bring several UFC fighters to work in the White House as assistants. As of now, it is unclear if White will accept the offer; he currently owns UFC and has no experience in government or journalism. This announcement comes after Katie…

Trump Just Offered the Press Secretary Gig to UFC’s Dana White →
NPR8 Nov

President Donald Trump has offered Dana White, CEO of UFC and Zuffa Boxing, the position of White House press secretary. White plans to meet with Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss the offer but remains unclear about his intention to accept the role. The announcement comes during a period of significant transition in Trump's administration following the Republican party’s losses in the midterm elections.

UFC's Dana White says he will meet with Trump Monday over offer to be White House press secretary →
Euronews8 Nov

US President Donald Trump offered Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the position of White House press secretary on Saturday via his Truth Social account. Despite their close relationship and mutual support over the years—Trump regularly attending UFC events while White spoke at several of Trump's rallies—the specifics of White’s interest in the role remain unclear as he plans to meet with…

Trump offers UFC boss White House press secretary role: 'Dana, please take the job!' →
Daily Caller8 Nov

President Donald Trump offered Dana White, CEO of UFC, the position of White House press secretary on social media, suggesting he would bring several UFC fighters as assistants to "defend against the Lunatic Left." However, according to CNN, White declined the offer. This unusual move by Trump comes amid a transitional period for his administration following significant Republican losses in the midterm elections.

Trump Offers Press Secretary Position To Dana White, Who Reportedly Declines →
ABC News (AU)9 Nov

President Donald Trump retracted his announcement on Truth Social about offering Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the role of White House press secretary, stating he was only joking. This occurred during a conversation with reporters in Florida where Trump emphasized five times that it was just a joke and that White "loves the idea" but didn't take it seriously as an actual job offer. The…

Breaking: Trump says he was 'kidding' about offering Dana White press secretary job →
South China Morning Post9 Nov

US President Donald Trump clarified on Sunday that his earlier social media post suggesting mixed martial arts executive Dana White could become his press secretary was a joke. The post, which circulated widely and proposed using other UFC champions to confront what he called the "Lunatic Left," was intended as a light-hearted comment rather than a serious job offer. Trump told reporters that while White enjoys the…

Trump says ‘only kidding’ about naming UFC’s Dana White as press secretary →
The Blaze9 Nov

President Donald Trump jokingly offered Dana White, the UFC CEO, the position of Press Secretary at the White House over the weekend. Despite clarifying it as a joke, Trump mentioned that White agreed to meet him in Washington on Monday. The president also playfully suggested that White bring along some top MMA fighters for defense against what he termed "the Lunatic Left." Meanwhile, Dana White has scheduled a…

Dana White to meet with Trump after 'joke' job offer →
The Bulwark9 Nov

President Trump held an unusual press conference where he avoided answering questions about a Chinese spy linked to Nvidia’s CEO and refused to soften his stance on immigration restrictions. During the event, which featured Dana White, the CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Trump suggested White take over as press secretary but was rejected in an uncomfortable exchange.

Trump Hosts Ridiculous Press Conference with UFC CEO Dana White →
Toronto Star10 Nov

President Donald Trump brought UFC chief Dana White to a White House briefing on Monday, where he jokingly offered White the position of White House press secretary. This impromptu event was part of Trump’s response to Republican losses in the midterm elections; it included some reporters asking lighthearted questions like whether White would advise Trump on pardoning Pete Rose. After about half an hour, Trump joked…

UFC's Dana White appears with Trump at a White House briefing - but won't be his press secretary →
Sydney Morning Herald10 Nov

On Monday afternoon in Washington, President Donald Trump held an unexpected press conference with Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White, who had previously joked about becoming White House press secretary. The brief, spontaneous event lacked typical protocol and attendance due to its sudden announcement by a press wrangler just two minutes prior. During the session, White endorsed Trump's resilience…

White House reporters got a two-minute warning. Then Dana White walked in →

Where they agree and split

Agreed

AI · cited, from two or more outlets

  • Trump offered the position of White House press secretary to Dana White.12
  • White was flying to Washington, D.C., to meet with Trump on Monday.12
Quoted from the coverage (4)

President Trump held a surprise press briefing at the White House on Monday featuring UFC CEO Dana White.

7 outlets

Earlier this year, White also organized a UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House, an event that was part of a slate commemorating the United States’ 250th birthday.

6 outlets

Trump said White, a prominent supporter, "loves the idea" of taking the job but insisted he had not been serious about the prospect, describing the suggestion as "just a little fun."

6 outlets

“Of course I was kidding and you could see that because I put all of the great fighters as his assistants,” Trump said.

6 outlets

Disputed

Picked by our model, which is sometimes wrong

  • Trump initially said he was offering the job to White, but later claimed he was 'only kidding'.14

Framing

How the first headlines put it

  • Euronews and The Daily Wire framed the event as a serious job offer, while The Guardian and The Independent presented it as a joke.1347
Attributed to a source15
Stated as fact9
The headlines (24)

UFC boss Dana White says he's meeting with Trump after press secretary job offer CBC · attributed to a source

UFC's Dana White says he will meet with Trump Monday over offer to be White House press secretary NPR · attributed to a source

UFC’s Dana White says he will meet Trump on Monday to discuss press secretary offer NBC News · attributed to a source

Trump says he was kidding when he offered UFC CEO press secretary role CBS News · attributed to a source

Trump says 'only kidding' about naming UFC CEO as White House press secretary The Straits Times · attributed to a source

Trump says he was 'only kidding' about naming UFC CEO Dana White as White House press secretary amid hunt for Karoline Leavitt's replacement Daily Mail · attributed to a source

Trump says he was ‘only kidding’ about making Dana White press secretary Fox News · attributed to a source

Breaking: Trump says he was 'kidding' about offering Dana White press secretary job ABC News (Australia) · attributed to a source

Trump says ‘only kidding’ about naming UFC’s Dana White as press secretary South China Morning Post · attributed to a source

Trump says he was ‘only kidding’ about making UFC’s Dana White next press secretary The Guardian · attributed to a source

Donald Trump says offer of press secretary role to UFC chief was a joke Toronto Sun · attributed to a source

Trump says he was 'only kidding' about naming UFC CEO as White House press secretary Dawn · attributed to a source

Trump says he was 'kidding' about Dana White press secretary offer BBC · attributed to a source

Trump says ‘I was only kidding’ with press secretary job offer to UFC boss Dana White New York Post · attributed to a source

Trump says he was 'only kidding' about offering UFC CEO Dana White White House press secretary role Just the News · attributed to a source

Why Trump wants UFC chief Dana White as his new White House press secretary Al Jazeera · stated as fact

Trump’s pick of Dana White as press secretary has given way to a wild mix-up theory The Independent · stated as fact

Trump Just Offered the Press Secretary Gig to UFC’s Dana White Mother Jones · stated as fact

Trump posts animated video of Dana White’s UFC staffers beating up press corps Washington Examiner · stated as fact

Trump offers UFC boss White House press secretary role: 'Dana, please take the job!' Euronews · stated as fact

Trump offers UFC boss press secretary post, urges criminal probes of Democrats The Hindu · stated as fact

Dana White Responds To Trump’s White House Press Secretary Job Offer The Daily Wire · stated as fact

Trump Offers Press Secretary Position To Dana White, Who Reportedly Declines Daily Caller · stated as fact

Dana White to meet with Trump after 'joke' job offer The Blaze · stated as fact

Words to watch (1)

Trump insists he was 'only kidding' about wanting UFC's Dana White as press secretary CBC

The full story: what happened, how it changed, and all 56 articles →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Blaze Media
Hedges 4 of 24 claims Outlet record 95/100
The Independent
Hedges 1 of 17 claims Outlet record 59/100
The Daily Wire
Hedges 1 of 24 claims Outlet record 59/100
The Independent
Hedges 3 of 27 claims Outlet record 59/100
The Guardian
Leans strongly left Hedges 1 of 28 claims Outlet record 65/100
The Straits Times
Hedges 1 of 25 claims Outlet record 64/100
The Daily Caller
Hedges 2 of 13 claims Outlet record 92/100
Washington Examiner
Hedges 0 of 2 claims Outlet record 67/100
The Daily Wire
Hedges 1 of 28 claims Outlet record 59/100
Euronews
Leans right Hedges 0 of 11 claims Outlet record 60/100

Story

Dana White declines press secretary role
Politics · 56 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
19
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 19 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
59/100
The Independent's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
56
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-11-14 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Independent · 4342 article(s) · 10 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 10 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Rhian Lubin
67 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
I’ve never done anything, you know, in the political world that would be illegal, where anybody should come after me or anything that we have to hide,” he told her.
Lambert never indicated that he would ever resort to violence in interviews, according to Brice-Saddler, but the physician did often use “intense, combative language.”
After more than 40 years of marriage, Lori Huang may be mulling the possibility of joining one very exclusive group: the tech billionaire ex-wives’ club.
Another high-ranking woman in Donald Trump’s administration is expected to leave her Cabinet role as part of the president’s staffing shakeup following the disastrous midterm election results.
There were 11 Democrats among the 18 lawmakers who did not vote, allowing the Republican majority to pass the matter on to the GOP-led Judiciary Committee, where it will likely languish until Democrats take control of Congress in January 2027.
When the 120th U.S. Congress convenes in January 2027, the cohort of Senators entering the upper chamber will include a group of millennials and young Gen Xers in what has been hailed a “generational change.”
Thomas Giuffra, Doe’s attorney, said in a statement Friday that “we are hopeful that this will be yet another step forward to educate and support the Cornell community by addressing the longstanding scourge of sexual assault on campus.”
Former president Joe Biden has revealed that Donald Trump told him that if it weren’t for politics, he believed the pair would be “good friends.”
With the ouster of chief of staff Susie Wiles, Miller - a man whose uncle has publicly told of his “dismay and horror” over his nephew’s ideology that some have labeled “Nazi” or xenophobic - has been elevated to an even more powerful position in the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
Also by Rhian Lubin
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 67 articles by Rhian Lubin →

Topics

Defense Fox News UFC the White House the White House’s

Subjects

White PERSON · 8× Trump PERSON · 4× Dana White PERSON · 3× Lara Trump PERSON · 3× UFC ORG · 2× the White House ORG · 2× Donald Trump PERSON · 1× Fox News ORG · 1× Katie Zacharia PERSON · 1× the White House’s ORG · 1×

Narrative

Then, on Monday, Trump ushered White into the White House’s James S. Brady briefing room and the pair held a bizarre press conference, taking questions from the press corps on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Iran war and disgraced former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-11-14
I’ve never done anything, you know, in the political world that would be illegal, where anybody should come after me or anything that we have to hide,” he told her.

Claims (19 extracted, 0 hedged)

UFC President Dana White has described the “crazy 48 hours” he endured after Donald Trump asked him to be his next press secretary. asserted
Trump → describe → him
White sat down with the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, on her Fox News show and revealed what it was like to “almost inadvertently become the next press secretary for the White House.” asserted
it → sit → House
Trump announced he had offered the role to “the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior” in a November 7 Truth Social post, a few weeks after he fired Katie Zacharia on day five of the job. asserted
he → announce → job
Trump later admitted he was “kidding” about the offer, and it had been “just a little fun.” asserted
it → admit → offer
Then, on Monday, Trump ushered White into the White House’s James S. Brady briefing room and the pair held a bizarre press conference, taking questions from the press corps on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Iran war and disgraced former Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. asserted
pair → usher → Hegseth
“It was a very unique and crazy 48 hours for me,” White told Lara Trump in a preview clip of her Friday Fox show. asserted
White → tell → show
“Literally when I was pulling in the gates of the White House, his assistant called and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to take you right down to the press room, he wants you.’ asserted
he → pull → you
White appeared shocked when reporters started asking him questions at the briefing. asserted
reporters → appear → briefing
When questioned whether White declined the press secretary job, the UFC chief said, “I don’t tell the president ‘no’ to anything.” asserted
I → question → anything
Lara Trump also asked White whether he’s concerned about Democrats who “want to to target allies” of the president once they regain control Congress in January. asserted
they → ask → January
“We kind of expected that,” White said, adding that he wasn’t worried. asserted
he → expect → that
“If you didn’t do anything illegal or anything wrong, I don’t know why you’d have to be worried. asserted
you → do → anything
I’ve never done anything, you know, in the political world that would be illegal, where anybody should come after me or anything that we have to hide,” he told her. asserted
he → do → her
Trump explained his bizarre decision to offer White a spot at the lectern. asserted
Trump → explain → lectern
“We were having a very bad press day... asserted
We → have → day
I don’t know why; I thought of his name,” he said. asserted
he → know → name
I said, ‘You know, I think I'm going to get Dana White to be my new press secretary.’ asserted
White → say → ?
I said it to a group of the press, and that was it. asserted
that → say → press
I was sort of kidding.” asserted
I → kid → ?
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