- President Donald Trump posted multiple AI-generated videos on Truth Social depicting Dana White as the administration’s press secretary Monday afternoon, one day after Trump claimed he was 'only kidding' by offering the UFC chief executive the job.
- In the videos, an AI-generated White berates reporters at a press briefing, saying, 'Everyone sit down and shut up right now, I’m not answering questions until you show some respect', and later yelling, 'I said shut up, you’ll speak when I say so', telling the reporter to 'sit down and be quiet, or get out'.
- White is expected to meet Trump at the White House on Monday, though Trump on Sunday said he was 'only kidding' with the job offer and that White’s meeting is 'for other reasons.'
- Trump appeared to extend White an offer to become the next White House press secretary over the weekend in a Truth Social post, writing, 'Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!'
- On Sunday, Trump told reporters he was 'only kidding' with the job offer, adding, 'Dana loves the idea, and there’s only one Dana, and, 'You wouldn’t mess around with him'.
- A report on Saturday claimed White had declined the unorthodox idea, citing an unnamed source familiar with the matter, though the report also cited an unnamed aide who said the offer was a joke.
- Speculation mounted on social media that Trump had mixed up Dana White of the UFC with Dana W. White, a Republican communications executive who worked in the first Trump administration as a Pentagon spokesperson. Dana W. White denied the offer, saying, 'To everyone texting me congratulations: thank you, but you have the wrong Dana White' and 'I’ve stood at a podium and taken questions from the Pentagon press corps. I have never stood in an octagon. I’d like to keep it that way.'
Former President Donald Trump posted AI-generated videos on Truth Social featuring Dana White as press secretary, despite stating he was 'kidding' about the job offer.158910
Trump had suggested White would be a unique press secretary, saying, “Dana will be a Press Secretary like none other. Dana, please take the job!” However, he later clarified that he was joking, stating, “Dana loves the idea, and there’s only one Dana.”6
White is expected to meet Trump at the White House on Monday, but sources indicate he declined the unconventional offer. An unnamed source reported that White had “declined the unorthodox idea,” while another aide confirmed the offer was a joke.47
Speculation arose on social media that Trump confused UFC's Dana White with Dana W. White, a Republican communications executive who previously served as a Pentagon spokesperson. Dana W. White addressed the confusion on LinkedIn, stating, “To everyone texting me congratulations: thank you, but you have the wrong Dana White.” She emphasized her experience in the Pentagon, saying, “I’ve stood at a podium and taken questions from the Pentagon press corps. I have never stood in an octagon.”
The press secretary position has been vacant for weeks following the brief tenure of Katie Zacharia, who left after just five days amid controversy over her qualifications.
“In the videos, an AI-generated White berates reporters, yelling 'Everyone sit down and shut up right now,' and later 'I said shut up, you'll speak when I say so.' Speculation that Trump confused UFC's Dana White with Dana W. White, a former Pentagon spokesperson, led Dana W. White to deny the offer, saying 'you have the wrong Dana White.'”
Forbes
