US President Donald Trump pitched UFC boss Dana White for the White House press secretary job in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, describing White as a "violent Fighter and Warrior".
Trump also suggested White bring six current or former UFC champions as assistants: Russian fighters Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov, Americans Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier and Kayla Harrison, and Brazilian-born Amanda Nunes, who became a US citizen last year. "We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left," Trump wrote.
Speaking at a press conference in London on Saturday, following a boxing event, White said he was scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Monday. His remarks came after reports, citing a source familiar with the matter, suggested he had turned down Trump's proposal.
White has not publicly confirmed whether he is willing to accept the position.
A vacant post
The White House press secretary's post has been vacant since Katie Zacharia's tenure ended last month after less than a week. She had replaced Karoline Leavitt, who left the position at the end of August.
A two-decade association
White and Trump have known each other for more than two decades. Their association began in the early 2000s, when Trump's Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City hosted several UFC events. White publicly backed Trump's presidential campaign in 2016. In June, the White House hosted a UFC fight night as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.
White would not be the first person with UFC connections to join Trump's White House communications team. Steven Cheung, the White House director of communications, previously worked for White's organisation between 2013 and 2016.
The meeting on Monday is the next step in the story, with no confirmation yet on whether White will accept the job.
