Donald Trump has said he was “only kidding” when he suggested appointing UFC boss Dana White as Press Secretary.
On Saturday, the President shockingly announced that the head of the largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation would be offered the role after Katie Zacharia’s disastrous five-day stint.
He previously said on Truth Social: “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.”
But now, speaking to reporters, the President insisted he made the offer in jest.
He said: “I was only kidding, but I think Dana likes the idea.”
He added that he would still be meeting with the UFC boss on Monday, but for “other reasons”.
In his original announcement, the President also invited several current and former UFC champions to join their boss in the White House.
“I have requested that he bring with him assistants, even though some are not from our country: Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris,” he said.
Mr Trump said the list of suggested assistants should have made it clear the offer was not initially serious.
He told reporters on Sunday night: “Well, if you saw the assistants I put… I posted the greatest wrestlers and UFC fighters in the world, right, like Khabib, like Justin Gaethje, who is phenomenal.
“And you see a lot of rough faces there, and you would have thought that people would have said, ‘He’s having a good time’.”
Although the offer seemed like a joke, the President suggested Mr White might still get the prestigious role, which Karoline Leavitt vacated in August.
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He said the press would “mess with him so much”, adding: “That was an example of something where I was kidding, and then people said, ‘You know, that’s actually a pretty good idea’.”
Earlier on Sunday, Mr Trump shared an AI-generated video depicting the UFC executive as Press Secretary with his stable of fighters.
In the cartoon video, members of the press pool are attacked by former UFC lightweight champion Mr Nurmagomedov, current UFC welterweight champion Mr Makhachev, and current and former UFC women’s bantamweight champions, Kayla Harrison and Ms Nunes.
The claim that the President was “only joking” could lend credence to the theory that Mr Trump’s team initially suggested Dana W White, who served as the Pentagon’s chief spokeswoman, for the role.
In a statement on social media, she said it was “nice for once that, that Dana White is being confused with this Dana White”.
Mr White is a strong ally of the President, and staged a UFC event on the White House lawn to mark the US’s 250th birthday.
The role of Press Secretary under Mr Trump has had high turnover, with Ms Leavitt leaving to spend more time with her family and taking a role with Fox News after a stint which lasted just over a year-and-a-half.
In the President’s first term, Sean Spicer lasted six months, Sarah Huckabee Sanders just under two years, while Stephanie Grisham and Kayleigh McEnany lasted around 280 days.
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