His reason for appointing someone with little education and no political or journalism experience?
Mr. Trump needs remember the W.H. Press Secretary opens the window through which the world sees the top levels of the nation's government. It's not simply a contact for a minor local radio-station run by a supporter of the President.
There is a suggestion that Trump confused the UFC man with another Dana White; a Trump aide as a former Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. The UFC White says he still thinks he is the selected one.
I looked into his (the UCF White's) background.
Despite no significant educational attainment, Mr. White became very wealthy through running the fight "game", and is credited with helping save the UFC from bankruptcy.
Subsequently he became friends and mutual supporters with Donald Trump. 'Wikipedia' reports the President has also used Truth Social to name several UFC stars as White's "assistants":
- Islam Makhachev (from Dagestan, an ex-USSR state. Champion fighter)
- Khabib Nurmagomedov (Russian, former professional mixed martial artist),
- Justin Gaethje (American wrestler),
- Daniel Cormier (American, former mixed martial-arts champion, and commentator),
- Amanda Nunes (Brazilian-American professional mixed martial artist, still active) ,
- Kayla Harrison (American professional mixed martial artist, still active).
So the White House Press representatives are, or will include, seven people very good at their sport but otherwise highly un-educated, yet who must expect to be interviewed not only by American, but also foreign journalists.
The latter aim to help their own audiences to try to understand the USA's internal politics, and how US foreign policy might affect their own countries. All such journalists, American and foreign, are experienced at quizzing politicians and press-office staffers who would rather read prepared "statements" than answer awkward questions not in the script.
That particular group of press-office staff is not even representative of the nation generally. It's half a dozen people within a single, violent sport churning massive amounts of US and Middle Eastern money.
Is there anyone in the White House Press Office with relevant knowledge of any of the areas that actually make a nation "great": its own history, culture and economics; its science, engineering, medicine, education, the military, security, agriculture, finance, the Law, the arts, manufacturing, retail, transport? Or indeed, relevant journalism experience?
This department, basically the President's publicists, is heavily involved in how foreigners see the USA.
Could be interesting!
