US President Donald Trump has thrown an unusual name into the running for White House press secretary, publicly asking Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) boss Dana White to take on the job, prompting speculation about whether the outspoken fight promoter is ready for a different kind of showdown.

“Dana, please take the job!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, describing White as a “Press Secretary like none other”.

The president also jokingly suggested that White bring several high-profile UFC fighters along, saying they were needed to defend the country against what he called the “Lunatic Left”.

It remains unclear whether Trump's public appeal was a serious job offer. White, however, confirmed that he would be travelling to Washington for a meeting with the president on Monday.

“I got a lot of jobs already,” he told reporters after attending a fight in London on Saturday, adding that he expected the two would have something to discuss following their meeting.

White later posted a photograph of himself standing behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room, captioned “On to the next chapter”, although it was unclear whether he was joking. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung appeared enthusiastic, responding: “Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!”

The press secretary position has been vacant since mid-October, when Katie Zacharia left the job less than five days after taking it. CNN, meanwhile, cited a source familiar with the matter as saying White had declined the idea.

A close friend and longtime political ally of Trump, White has supported the president at Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

But running the UFC, Power Slap, newly launched Zuffa Boxing and serving on Meta's board already keep him busy. Whether he will add daily sparring with White House reporters to that schedule remains to be seen.

Credit: Al Jazeera