US President Donald Trump has offered UFC chief executive Dana White the job of White House press secretary, pitching the longtime ally as a potential replacement for the role. Trump announced the offer in a Saturday post on Truth Social, describing White as a "violent Fighter and Warrior" and joking that he should bring a team of UFC fighters with him to the White House.

"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," Trump wrote.

Trump then took aim at the opposition party.

"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! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

WHITE HOUSE PRESS JOB HAS BEEN IN LIMBO

This comes after a turbulent period for the White House operation.

Just before the crucial midterm elections, Karoline Leavitt left the press secretary's post in August, saying she wanted to focus on raising her two young children. Trump later appointed Katie Zacharia to the role, but her tenure lasted only five days before she was removed.

The White House has therefore been without a permanent press secretary for much of the period since Leavitt's departure.

That has left the high-profile job -- which requires the president's spokesperson to face reporters regularly, defend administration policy and handle often hostile questioning -- in a state of flux.

TRUMP AND DANA WHITE GO BACK DECADES

The UFC boss is not a random celebrity pick. He and Trump have had a close relationship for decades. Trump become an early supporter of the Ultimate Fighting Championship when the organisation was still fighting for mainstream acceptance. He hosted UFC events at his properties, including the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, helping provide the promotion with venues at a time when other locations were reluctant to associate with the sport. Their relationship grew over the years as White built the UFC into a global sports powerhouse.

White became one of Trump's earliest high-profile political supporters. He spoke at Republican National Conventions and backed Trump's presidential campaigns, including delivering a prime-time speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

At that convention, White said Trump had called him "as a friend" and asked him to speak.

"I would be honored if you would speak for me at the Republican convention," Trump told White. White accepted without hesitation.

Their relationship has only become more visible during Trump's second term.

UFC AT THE WHITE HOUSE

In June, Trump and White took their relationship to an unprecedented level when the UFC staged UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn as part of the US 250th anniversary celebrations. Trump and White walked into the event together, with the president referring to White as a longtime friend and ally. The event was the culmination of a 25-year friendship between the two men.

White has also played a role in Trump's political outreach to young male voters, while his connections in the UFC world have helped bring prominent figures in combat sports into Trump's political orbit.

Now, Trump appears ready to take that relationship further.

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With inputs from agencies