Netizens Suspect Donald Trump Confused UFC's Dana White With a Female Defence Department Official

President Donald Trump says he has offered UFC chief Dana White the job of White House press secretary, a move that sparked an unproven online theory that he had confused the mixed martial arts boss with a former Pentagon spokeswoman of the same name.

Speaking from his Florida golf club on Saturday, 7 November, Trump said he wanted White to take over the podium after the rapid departures of Karoline Leavitt and Katie Zacharia, whose combined tenure as press secretary lasted five days.

Trump also suggested that White bring mixed martial arts fighters to serve as assistants. CNN later reported, citing a person familiar with the matter, that White had declined the offer. An unnamed White House aide described it as a joke.

Why Donald Trump's 'Wrong Dana White' Theory Took Hold

The woman named in the speculation is Dana W. White, who served as assistant to the secretary of defence for public affairs during Trump's first administration. Her Pentagon biography identifies her as chief spokesperson for Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.

She also worked as press secretary for the Republican Conference in the US House of Representatives. Those credentials gave the speculation some apparent plausibility, but there is no evidence she was proposed for the White House vacancy.

An X user speculated that someone had recommended the former Pentagon official and Trump mistakenly thought they meant the UFC executive. The post offered no proof. Other users compared the theory with Trump's campaign press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia on 7 November 2020.

The event's sixth anniversary gave the jokes another layer of coincidence. However, the comparison did not establish that anyone had confused two people in Trump's latest announcement.

Trump's longstanding association with the UFC chief also weighs against the theory. White supported Trump's political campaigns and spoke at the Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Official White House photographs show them together at UFC Freedom 250 on 14 June 2026.

Trump's Fighter Shortlist Points to the UFC Boss

In his Truth Social message, Trump called the executive 'a violent Fighter and Warrior' and urged him to accept the position. He named Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes as proposed assistants.

Trump also named 'Kayla Harris', apparently referring to UFC fighter Kayla Harrison. The president said the fighters were needed to defend his administration against the 'Lunatic Left'.

Those references leave little doubt about which Dana White Trump was addressing. They do not, however, establish whether the president intended the employment offer seriously.

White House communications director Steven Cheung, who previously worked for the UFC, welcomed the announcement on X. His response did not clarify whether a formal appointment was being considered.

Dana White's Response and Next Steps

White subsequently shared an AI-generated image of himself behind the White House press briefing lectern on Instagram. The caption read 'On to the next chapter', although the post did not confirm his acceptance.

CNN reported that White had declined the proposal, while an unnamed administration aide characterised Trump's announcement as a joke.

Speaking after a boxing event in London, White said he intended to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, 9 November. Asked about his existing responsibilities, he replied, 'Yeah, I got a lot of jobs already.' He declined to discuss previous conversations with the president.