Trump’s ‘Lunatic Left’ UFC fight pitch turns into an online punching bag

US President Donald Trump’s unconventional offer to make Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) chief executive Dana White his next press secretary has triggered a wave of online mockery and speculation, after he suggested that a group of mixed martial arts fighters could join the White House communications team to defend his administration against the “Lunatic Left”.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump described White as a “violent Fighter and Warrior” and said he had offered him the job of White House press secretary.

He also suggested that White bring along six current or former UFC champions as assistants: Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison.

“We need these people to defend us against the Lunatic Left,” Trump wrote, ending his message with an appeal to White: “Dana, please take the job!”

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… pic.twitter.com/qIW1vVotAH

— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) November 7, 2026

The unusual proposal quickly became a talking point on social media, with users questioning whether the president was serious or making a joke. Some critics also used the post to renew questions about his fitness for office.

Comedian and actor Rosie O’Donnell, a longtime Trump critic, said she had initially thought the post was fake before calling for the 25th Amendment to be invoked. The amendment provides a mechanism for transferring presidential powers to the vice president if the president is deemed unable to discharge the duties of the office.

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. https://t.co/yJIPPkVkAx pic.twitter.com/MpdfQOsgs3

— Conor Rogers (@conorjrogers) November 7, 2026

The White House did not immediately clarify whether Trump intended the offer as a serious appointment proposal. White, meanwhile, shared an image of himself standing behind the White House press briefing lectern, accompanied by the caption: “On to the next chapter.”

Speaking at a news conference in London on Saturday, White said he planned to fly to Washington and meet Trump at the White House on Monday. He did not confirm whether he would accept the offer, saying he had several existing roles and would have more to say after meeting the president.

Did Trump confuse two Dana Whites?

The episode also fuelled an unverified theory circulating online that Trump may have confused the UFC chief with another person named Dana White, a former senior public affairs official at the US Department of Defense.

Dana W White served as assistant to the secretary of defence for public affairs and was the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson under then-defence secretary Jim Mattis. Her responsibilities included media relations, public outreach and communications policy.

Some social media users suggested that she may have been considered for the White House press secretary position and that Trump had mistakenly referred to the UFC executive instead.

However, there is no independently verified evidence that the former Pentagon official was on a shortlist for the job or that Trump confused the two people. The theory remains speculation rather than an established explanation for his post.

A long association with Trump

The UFC chief and Trump have known each other for more than two decades. They first worked together in the early 2000s, when Trump’s casino in Atlantic City hosted UFC events at a time when mixed martial arts was still struggling for wider acceptance.

Their relationship grew closer after White publicly backed Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016. He has since appeared alongside Trump at political events and introduced him at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Trump has also become a regular presence at UFC events. In June, the White House hosted a UFC fight night as part of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.

The president’s communications operation already includes a former UFC employee. White House communications director Steven Cheung worked for the organisation from 2013 to 2016.

The press secretary position has been vacant since Katie Zacharia left last month after less than a week in the role. She had succeeded Karoline Leavitt, who departed at the end of August.

Trump’s latest proposal comes at a difficult political moment for his administration. Republicans suffered major losses in the midterm elections, with Democrats winning control of both chambers of Congress and preparing to scrutinise the administration.

Whether White will take up the offer remains unclear. For now, Trump’s suggestion of putting a UFC chief and a team of fighters in charge of communicating the White House message has provided another unusual episode in an already turbulent period for the administration.