A former Pentagon official has broken her silence over swirling rumors that Donald Trump allegedly confused her with UFC boss Dana White while searching for his next White House press secretary.
Dana W. White, who previously worked in public affairs for the Department of Defense, found herself inundated with congratulatory messages after Trump announced he had offered the press secretary position to his longtime friend and UFC chief.
The situation sent social media into a frenzy, with many users speculating that the former President may have mistaken the mixed martial arts executive for the former Pentagon spokeswoman.
Addressing the rumors in a LinkedIn post, Dana W. White made it clear she was not involved in the situation. "To everyone texting me congratulations: thank you, but you have the wrong Dana White," she wrote. "I've stood at a podium and taken questions from the Pentagon press corps. I have never stood in an octagon. I'd like to keep it that way."
She added, "It is nice for once that, that Dana White is being confused with this Dana White."
The unusual speculation began after Trump posted on Truth Social, stating his intention to offer the job to the UFC boss. "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," Trump wrote.
Trump also suggested that White bring several UFC fighters to Washington, including Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, and Kayla Harrison, stating, "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!"
While one White House aide suggested to CNN that the President was joking, internet users proposed that the former Pentagon official had been recommended for the position and Trump mistakenly offered it to the wrong Dana White.
No evidence has emerged to support the claim that Trump confused the two individuals or that the former Pentagon spokeswoman was on a shortlist for the job.
The UFC boss, Dana White, appeared to entertain the possibility when reporters questioned him in London. He chuckled at the suggestion and announced, "I'm flying to Washington, DC, right now." He declined to confirm if he had discussed the job with Trump but confirmed he would meet the president at the White House, teasing, "I'm sure we'll have more to talk about after that."
When pressed about taking the job, White added, "I've got a lot of jobs already."
This vacancy follows the departure of Trump's previous press secretary, Katie Zacharia, just five days into the role in October. Her brief tenure was shorter than Anthony Scaramucci's 11 days as White House communications director in 2017. Zacharia had replaced Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down in August.
The White House press secretary role became vacant at a challenging time for Trump, following the Republican Party's significant midterm election losses.
The UFC president, reportedly worth $500 million, has been a supporter of Trump for years, with their friendship dating back to 2001 when Trump's Taj Mahal hosted a UFC event.
It remains uncertain whether the UFC's Dana White will seriously consider the president's offer. A Daily Mail reporter's call seeking clarification from the White House was reportedly disconnected.