Trump calls White offer joke
The president claimed his social media post about naming the UFC boss as press secretary was meant as a joke.
By Nia Foster ·
President Donald Trump told reporters in West Palm Beach on Sunday that he was joking when he said he had offered the White House press secretary job to Dana White. White runs the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is a close friend of the president. Trump made the initial announcement via social media on Saturday. He described the move as a bit of fun while speaking before boarding a plane back to Washington.
The remark came after a turbulent weekend for the administration. Trump replaced his chief of staff on Friday, naming Stephen Miller to the role. Miller previously served as the policy architect for the administration's strict immigration measures. This change followed deep losses for the Republican Party in Tuesday's midterm elections. The Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress, including in districts that Republicans had held for decades.
Trump's brief tenure under current leadership has been marked by instability in the communications office. Katie Zacharia held the press secretary position for only five days. She departed after struggling behind the podium and in interviews. As of this week, the White House does not have a permanent press secretary. White is scheduled to visit the president at the White House on Monday.
Trump said he believed White was a capable individual despite the lighthearted tone of his earlier post. The president acknowledged that White might actually enjoy the prospect of the role. The administration's leadership shakeup follows a cycle of major electoral defeats for the party in power.
