Dana White finally got to the podium. He used it to say he does not want the job.

The UFC CEO appeared alongside President Donald Trump at a White House press briefing on Monday to put an end to questions about whether he would become the next press secretary. Trump posted on Saturday that he had offered White the role. On Sunday the president told reporters he was "only kidding."

"I have zero political aspirations" White told reporters. "I don't tell the president no to anything. I didn't say no. Literally every media outlet was calling me and I didn't want to be disrespectful and say anything until he said something first."

'Who has the first question?'

White leaned into the moment. He opened with his familiar fight-week line "Who has the first question?" before turning to the president to make it official.

"Thank you for the offer, sir" White said. "I do not want to be in politics."

Trump's original post had called White a "violent Fighter and Warrior" who would be "fantastic" in the job.

Old friends

The two have been close for years. White spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2016, 2020 and 2024. In June the UFC staged UFC Freedom Fights 250 on the South Lawn to mark America's 250th birthday and Trump's 80th.

The White House has been without a permanent press secretary since Karoline Leavitt left in August. Katie Zacharia held the job for five days in October.