UFC chief Dana White has revealed that Donald Trump called him up just moments after jokingly offering the White House press secretary role.
On Saturday afternoon, Trump took to Truth Social to announce that ‘the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior’ had been offered the job of press secretary. He then added a personal plea: ‘Dana, please take the job!’
UFC boss White then admitted on Saturday night that, in the wake of Trump’s bombshell offer, he was heading to Washington DC straight away.
Social media quickly descended into a frenzy as fans speculated whether White was genuinely about to accept the role offered by his longtime friend.
However, White has now lifted the lid on the saga, explaining he was primarily flying to the nation’s capital to secure the president’s signature on a trading card.
In an interview with TMZ, White explained that trading card company Topps created a special 1-of-1 collectible commemorating the UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House South Lawn in June.
UFC chief Dana White has revealed that Donald Trump called him up just moments after jokingly offering the White House press secretary role
‘Me and the president wore patches that night for Freedom 250, and the cards are done so he’s going to sign the card tonight. That’s one of the reasons why I’m here,’ White explained to TMZ.
When asked about the press secretary rumors, the fight promoter insisted he had nothing to do with the viral stunt and was completely caught off guard by the post.
‘He put that out! The press secretary thing was him. Everyone has been blowing me up, asking me questions. I’m not going to be disrespectful and say anything. It’s his thing!’ White said.
Trump later clarified his shock job offer was simply a joke, but White revealed the president actually phoned him just moments after making the public declaration to give him a quick heads-up.
‘Yeah, he called me,’ White revealed, noting that he was already scheduled to travel to DC before the political rumor mill went completely into overdrive.
President Trump gave an impromptu press briefing on Monday afternoon alongside UFC CEO White.
Pressed by CNN‘s Kaitlan Collins on whether he had accepted the post recently vacated by Katie Zacharia and Karoline Leavitt, White said he never tells the president ‘no.’
‘I don’t tell the president no to anything,’ he responded. ‘I didn’t say no.’
Trump made the decision on Saturday to jokingly offer White the role of Press Secretary
Dana White and Donald Trump have built an unlikely friendship over nearly three decades
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Trump then shot back that he had jokingly announced White was press secretary last week after what he called ‘a very bad press day.’
‘I think I’m going to get Dana White to be my new press secretary,’ Trump recalled musing last week.
Admitting he was ‘sort of kidding’ with the announcement, Trump noted the press ran with it and immediately ‘wrote the stories.’ Bringing White to the briefing room on Monday was just ‘for a little fun,’ Trump continued.
But at the end of the briefing, White conceded he does not want the role nor any other job in politics.
