Trump offers UFC boss Dana White job as White House press secretary
US President Donald Trump has publicly offered UFC chief executive Dana White the role of White House press secretary, and White has said he is flying to Washington to meet the president.
US President Donald Trump has publicly offered Dana White, the chief executive of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the job of White House press secretary. The offer was made in a social media post that several UK outlets have described as bizarre, and White has responded by saying he is flying to Washington DC.
Reports say Trump pressed White to take the position, with some coverage stating that the president had "begged" him to accept. White reportedly planned to meet Trump within hours of his public reply. The outcome of that meeting has not been confirmed, and it is not clear whether White intends to accept the role or whether any appointment will follow.
The offer comes against the backdrop of turnover in the press secretary post. Reports note that the previous press secretary was reportedly fired after just five days in the job. That short tenure has drawn attention to how demanding the role is, given that the person in it serves as the principal public voice of the administration in its dealings with the press and the wider public.
The approach was made through a social media post rather than through the usual channels for senior White House appointments, which is a central reason outlets have framed it as unusual. Coverage of the story has appeared in the Manchester Evening News, the Mirror and the Daily Mail, each focusing on the public nature of the offer and the speed with which White responded.
White's public reply, in which he said he was flying to Washington, has kept the story moving. Because his acceptance remains uncertain, the immediate question for observers is whether the planned meeting produces a hire, a clearer position from White, or neither. No official confirmation of any appointment has been reported in the sources available so far.
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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