WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Trump said on Sunday that he was kidding when he “offered” UFC CEO Dana White the position of White House press secretary while posting a picture showing him and some of his fighters pummeling the White House press corps.
“I was only kidding,” Mr. Trump told reporters at Donald J. Trump International Airport before he boarded Air Force One en route to Washington.
“Dana loves the idea. There’s only one Dana. You wouldn’t mess around with him so much. So, I was kidding, of course.”
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The president was referring to earlier social media posts from his initial prank announcement about Mr. White and a cartoon video featuring Mr. White and several UFC fighters in the White House briefing room.
The video shows the fighters beating up reporters.
“You saw the assistants (of Dana White’s) that I posted. I posted the greatest wrestlers and UFC fighters in the world,” Mr. Trump said.
“Like Khabib, like Justin Gaethje. You see a lot of rough faces there. You would have thought, people would have said, ‘He’s having a good time.’ I was only kidding.”
He added, “That was an example of something where I was kidding and people said, ‘That’s a pretty good idea.’”
Mr. Trump noted that Mr. White would be arriving in Washington on Monday to meet with him at the White House for another reason.
The president has been without a long-term press secretary since Karoline Leavitt left the White House in August, and her replacement, Katie Zacharia, was let go last month after only five days.
He surprised many when he said on social media Saturday, “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.”
“I have requested that he bring with him assistants, even though some are not from our Country, of Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harris.”
He added, “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!”
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