President Donald Trump said Sunday he was only kidding when he announced on social media that he had offered UFC CEO Dana White the job of White House press secretary.

Trump made the remark in a Truth Social post on Saturday, describing White as "a violent Fighter and Warrior" and suggesting the longtime ally bring several UFC fighters as assistants to "defend us against the Lunatic Left." The post also included photos of fighters including Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and others.

The president clarified his comments while speaking to reporters in Florida before returning to Washington. "I will tell you, I was only kidding," Trump said, adding that White "loves the idea" but that the proposal was "just a little fun." He noted the inclusion of the fighters should have made the joke obvious.

The White House press secretary position has remained vacant since Katie Zacharia departed after just five days on the job in October. White, a close Trump supporter who helped organize a UFC event on the White House South Lawn earlier this year, responded to the post by sharing an image of himself at the briefing podium and indicated he would meet with the president.

Trump confirmed the Monday meeting in Washington would proceed as planned, though he stressed it was scheduled for other reasons. The exchange drew attention amid ongoing speculation about staffing in the administration following recent midterm election results.

White has not publicly commented further on the matter beyond noting he already has numerous commitments.