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Dana White, president of the UFC, smiling, in a black jacket and black T-shirt, against a plain grey background; AI-extended version of a photograph taken in Baku in June 2025.
Archive portrait · Photo: Serviço de Imprensa do Presidente do Azerbaijão, CC BY 4.0 · Image credits

Trump now says he was 'only kidding' about wanting UFC's Dana White as press secretary

United States

Told by 12 newspapers in 9 countries, between 16:00 and 10:00 on 8 November 2026.

In this story

The headline in each newspaper

In short

Trump says he was joking when he suggested UFC chief Dana White become his new White House press secretary.12345678910 Earlier, The National and Al Jazeera had framed the idea as a possibility, without mentioning that it had been retracted.1112

AIMade at 12:01, only from the headlines. Each number links to the source headline. How it is made

Compare the papers

What newspapers from several countries agree on, where the accounts differ and who is involved, so each reader can draw their own conclusions.

Common ground

  • According to outlets in the UAE, Qatar, Australia, the US, Canada, Hong Kong, the UK, India and Pakistan, Trump said he was “only kidding” when he floated naming Dana White, UFC president, as White House press secretary.123+69 newspapers from 8 countries

Where accounts differ

  • Outlets from Qatar, Australia and India say Trump wanted Dana White for the job, while the BBC only says Trump was “kidding” when he offered him the post.12710
  • The New York Times says Trump was “only kidding” when he asked Dana White to be his press secretary, without saying the request was made.11

Who is involved

  • Trump is the figure who makes the “only kidding” statement; the headlines do not report any reaction from Dana White.348

Background

  • 2025Dana White is president and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a global mixed martial arts organization, and was elected to Meta's board of directors in 2025.W
  • 2025Trump began his second term as US president on 20 January 2025.W
  • 2026The White House press secretary is a senior spokesperson for the executive branch, appointed by the president; the most recent holder, Katie Zacharia, was fired four days after taking the job, and the post has been vacant since 16 October 2026.W

AIMade at 12:01 from 12 headlines from 9 countries; the background, from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Each number links to the source. Rules

The headlines, side by side

Each headline is the original, as the newspaper published it, in the order it arrived. The selection follows the public grouping rule, with no AI.

Highlighted words are used only by that newspaper, among the headlines in the same language. They show what each one chose to stress.

  • The National (state media) · United Arab Emirates · 16:50Will UFC's Dana White be Trump's press secretary?Read at the newspaper ↗
  • Al Jazeera (state media) · Qatar · 22:11Why Trump wants UFC chief Dana White as his new White House press secretaryRead at the newspaper ↗
  • ABC News · Australia · 23:55Breaking: Trump says he was 'kidding' about offering Dana White press secretary jobRead at the newspaper ↗
  • Fox News · United States · 00:15Trump says he was ‘only kidding’ about making Dana White press secretaryRead at the newspaper ↗
  • CBC News · Canada · 00:00Trump now says he was 'only kidding' about wanting UFC's Dana White as press secretaryRead at the newspaper ↗
  • South China Morning Post · Hong Kong · 00:40Trump says ‘only kidding’ about naming UFC’s Dana White as press secretaryRead at the newspaper ↗
  • The New York Times · United States · 01:15Trump Was ‘Only Kidding’ in Asking Dana White to Be His Press SecretaryRead at the newspaper ↗
  • The Guardian · United Kingdom · 07:20Trump says he was ‘only kidding’ about making UFC’s Dana White next press secretaryRead at the newspaper ↗
  • The Indian Express · India · 07:00‘Of course, I was kidding’: Donald Trump on US press secretary offer to UFC chief Dana WhiteRead at the newspaper ↗
  • Dawn · Pakistan · 08:40Trump says he was 'only kidding' about naming UFC CEO as White House press secretaryRead at the newspaper ↗
  • BBC News · United Kingdom · 09:00Trump says he was 'kidding' about Dana White press secretary offerRead at the newspaper ↗
  • Geo News · Pakistan · 10:45Trump says 'only kidding' about naming UFC CEO as White House press secretaryRead at the newspaper ↗

Words in common

  • press
  • secretary
  • kidding
  • white