Dana White turns down Trump's offer to be White House spokesman
A source said White rejected the idea, while a White House communications director publicly backed the proposal.
President Donald Trump offered UFC chief Dana White the role of White House spokesman on Saturday, but White has declined, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that White turned down the proposal, which the source described as unorthodox.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called White a "fighter and warrior" and said he would be pleased to see him take on the job.
Trump also asked White to bring along a team of assistants, naming six UFC fighters and sharing their photographs.
Trump said the fighters would help defend the administration against "the Lunatic Left" and described White as an extraordinary, unconventional spokesman.
One aide said Trump was joking about the offer.
The offer came as Trump continues to look for a new press secretary after Karoline Leavitt left the post and Katie Zacharia served only five days in the role.
The position has become more significant since Democrats gained control of Congress and promised to launch investigations into the Trump administration.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung backed the proposal on Saturday, reposting Trump's message with the comment, "Hell yeah! Do it, @DanaWhite!"
The UFC is a mixed martial arts promotion that White has led as chief executive for years.
The White House press secretary is one of the most visible government jobs, responsible for briefing reporters on the administration's policies and answering questions from the press.
