United States President Donald Trump said Saturday that he's asked UFC CEO Dana White to become the next White House press secretary.
White, however, declined the opportunity, a source told CNN's Kaitlan Collins and Isabelle D'Antonio.
Along with his offer to White, Trump requested that multiple fighters join the 57-year-old executive as "assistants," including retired Russian mixed martial artist and former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I have requested that he bring with him assistants, even though some are not from our country, of Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris (sic).
"We need these people to defend us against the lunatic left. Dana will be a press secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!"
Trump and White are longtime friends. The U.S. President has attended several UFC events, including while in office. The two also worked together to stage UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn in June, marking the first time that a professional sporting event was held at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
The White House press secretary job has been vacant since Oct. 16, when Katie Zacharia was fired just five days after assuming the role.
