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Trump Press Secretary Search· Day 3

Dana White Takes Briefing Podium

Dana White took the podium with Trump but is not becoming White House press secretary.

November 9, 2026 · Updated Nov 9, 9:05pm ET

27%

Left · 12

27%

Center · 12

46%

Right · 20

Pano rates the coverage Leans Right.

What happened

  • UFC chief executive Dana White took questions alongside President Donald Trump at a surprise White House briefing Monday but declined to become press secretary.
  • White said he had “always wanted to do this” as he took the podium, then clarified that he had “zero political aspirations.”
  • White said Trump’s public offer caught him at a fight in London and that he waited to respond publicly out of respect for the president.
  • Trump said he floated White’s name during a “very bad press day” and brought his longtime friend to the briefing for “a little fun.”
  • The press secretary position remains vacant after Katie Zacharia’s brief tenure ended in October, leaving Trump still searching for a chief spokesperson.

How the left told it

Left-leaning outlets largely framed the episode as a distraction or sign of disorder after Republican election losses. The Guardian called it a “gambit” to divert attention from the midterms; The Atlantic described a president whose power “has been sapped.” Raw Story emphasized White’s repeated refusals and Trump’s clashes with reporters.

How the right told it

Right-leaning outlets generally presented the appearance as an extension of Trump’s joke, while noting White would not take the job. Fox News said White “shut down any rumors” of entering government, and The Washington Times highlighted his refusal. RedState celebrated the spectacle, saying Trump “certainly had the media going with the joke.”

Trump Press Secretary Search

Storyline →
  1. Nov 9Dana White Takes Briefing Podium (this story)Leans Right
  2. Nov 8Trump Says Dana White Offer Was A JokeBalanced
  3. Nov 7Dana White Reportedly Declines Press JobBalanced

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