The message from the White House is clear: Donald Trump is not backing down. He is doubling down. 

In the days after his Republican Party's crushing midterm defeat, the US president has wasted no time reshaping his administration.

Trump's chief of staff Susie Wiles (considered vaguely moderate by MAGA standards) was replaced with hardliner Stephen Miller.

In a social media post, Trump then offered the job of White House press secretary to his friend, Dana White, the UFC chief executive, though later told reporters he was "kidding".

Some analysts argue that a wounded Trump looking to leverage his final two years in office may be tempted to revamp his team with several changes. 

And there is mounting speculation Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could be among them.

The pair have forged a close working relationship over more than 20 years since the early 2000s, when Mr Trump's Taj ‌Mahal casino hosted UFC events.

Mr White has also previously spoken at Republican National Conventions in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and co-hosted the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House with Mr Trump in June.

Before to Mr Trump's comments in Florida, Politico's White House correspondent Daniel Lippman told ABC NewsRadio he did not believe in the legitimacy of the job offer.

"Usually Trump, when he puts something on social media, he doesn't really joke around that much, he doesn't have a big joke gene … I'm putting my money that this is not real and Trump is just trying to troll and stay in the media," he said.

Mr Lippman said Mr White, who has an estimated net worth of more than $US600 million according to Forbes, would need to take "a big pay cut" to enter the Trump administration.

He also questioned whether Mr White would have the political experience and knowledge necessary to be a successful White House staffer.

"Trump does want a fighter for his next press secretary, especially as Democrats control Capitol Hill and they will be hounding him," he said.

"Maybe [Mr White] just wouldn't have press briefings and he would just be more of a symbolic head of the White House press office."

The White House press secretary posting has remained vacant for close to a month after Katie Zacharia left the position less than a week into the role.

Mr Trump's post about Mr White came a day after he announced that his chief of staff Susie Wiles would be replaced by her hardline deputy Stephen Miller.

On Sunday, local time, CBS News reported that a day after his appointment, Mr Miller revealed Richard Walters — a known ally of Ms Wiles who had replaced Mr Miller as deputy chief of staff — would be leaving the role.

"While he will be leaving us, Richard will continue to help from the outside as we continue to work with all of our strength to deliver for President Trump and his courageous fight to save America," Mr Miller said, according to CBS News.

The series of White House appointment changes comes days after the Trump administration and Republican Party suffered deep losses in nationwide midterm elections.

The GOP lost control of the House of Representatives and the Senate to the Democrats.

ABC/Reuters

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-09/donald-trump-says-he-was-kidding-about-dana-white-job-offer/107362886

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