A former Pentagon official has addressed bizarre speculation that Donald Trump may have confused her with UFC president Dana White while considering candidates for his next White House press secretary.
Dana W. White, who once handled public affairs for the Department of Defense, received a stream of congratulatory messages after Trump announced that he had offered the position to his longtime friend and UFC chief.
The announcement sparked a frenzy online, prompting users to wonder whether the president had mistaken the mixed martial arts executive for the former Pentagon spokeswoman.
White poked fun at the confusion in a tongue-in-cheek LinkedIn post, making clear that she had no intention of stepping into the political arena—or an octagon.
‘To everyone texting me congratulations: thank you, but you have the wrong Dana White,’ she wrote.
‘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.’
She added: ‘It is nice for once that that Dana White is being confused with this Dana White.’
The speculation erupted after Trump announced on Truth Social on Saturday afternoon that he wanted the UFC boss to take over White House press briefings following the Republicans’ crushing midterm election defeat.
Dana W. White, who previously worked in public affairs for the Department of Defense, received a wave of congratulatory messages after Trump offered the post to his longtime friend and UFC chief
‘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.
The president also floated the idea of White bringing several UFC fighters to Washington, including Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison.
‘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!’
The offer immediately prompted questions about whether Trump was being serious. One White House aide told CNN that the president was joking.
Online investigators, however, proposed a different explanation: that the former Pentagon official had been recommended for the position and Trump had mistakenly made the offer to the wrong Dana White.
‘Apparently ‘Dana W. White’ who ran public affairs for Sec Def was recommended on a short list for Trump to put as Press Secretary,’ one X user claimed.
‘Trump has instead announced ‘Dana White’ of the UFC as Press Secretary without Dana having any idea. JFC!’
Another user wrote: ‘Oh my god someone told Trump to pick DoD Spox and ex-House GOP flak Dana White as Press Secretary and he thought they meant Dana White the CEO of UFC.’
There is no evidence that Trump confused the two people or that the former Pentagon spokeswoman was ever on a shortlist for the job.
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‘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 said
The UFC boss appeared to entertain the possibility of joining the administration when reporters questioned him in London on Saturday
The White House press secretary vacancy comes at an especially difficult time for Trump following the Republican Party’s devastating midterm losses
Meanwhile, the UFC chief appeared to leave open the possibility of joining the administration when reporters asked him about the offer in London on Saturday.
White, 57, laughed at the suggestion before declaring: ‘I’m flying to Washington, DC, right now.’
He declined to say whether he had already spoken with Trump about the position, but confirmed that he was due to meet the president at the White House on Monday.
‘I’m sure we’ll have more to talk about after that,’ he said teasingly.
Asked directly whether he would accept the role, White replied: ‘I’ve got a lot of jobs already.’
Trump’s offer came after he parted ways with his previous press secretary, Katie Zacharia, just five days after she took the job.
Zacharia was dismissed in October after a disastrous first press briefing and a troubled television interview.
‘You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,’ Trump said he told Zacharia. ‘Honestly if I were you I’d reconsider.’
Her tenure was even shorter than Anthony Scaramucci’s infamous 11-day run as White House communications director in 2017.
Zacharia had succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who resigned in August to focus on motherhood after giving birth to a daughter.
The press secretary vacancy leaves Trump facing a difficult moment, following the Republican Party’s devastating midterm losses that gave Democrats control of both chambers of Congress.
The UFC boss, whose fortune is reportedly estimated at $500 million, has been part of Trump’s inner circle for years.
Their relationship dates back to 2001, when the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City hosted a UFC event under White’s leadership.
White has remained one of Trump’s most outspoken supporters and brought a UFC event to the White House earlier this year.
It is still unclear whether White will seriously consider the president’s offer. The White House hung up on a Our News Outlet reporter who called seeking clarification.
