For a minute there, UFC CEO Dana White was the appointed Press Secretary of the United States. Or at least that’s what Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social. After some back-and-forth banter that included AI-generated images and statements to reporters, both Trump and White confirmed it was all a joke, meaning one of the most controversial and highly scrutinized positions in the White House remains vacant.
Before we break down the current odds and look at which names are leading the prediction markets to become the next Press Secretary, be sure to grab our Kalshi promo code so you can set up your trading strategy the right way. Now, let’s get into it.
Just Kiddin’:Trump Says He Offered the Press Secretary Job to Dana White
On Saturday, Nov. 7, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the role of White House Press Secretary was no longer vacant, having offered the position to the UFC CEO. “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.
The president also mentioned that he offered to let White bring along several UFC fighters as assistants to defend him from the “Lunatic Left.” White then posted an apparently AI-generated image of himself at the briefing room podium captioned, “On to the next chapter.”
Finally, on Sunday, Trump confirmed that it was all a joke, announcing that he would indeed meet with White, but to discuss other matters. “I was only kidding, but Dana loves the idea,” Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida.
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Press Secretary Odds Today: Dana White Spiked… Then Fell
The elaborate prank by Trump and White certainly made waves in the prediction markets. On Saturday, Nov. 7, the UFC CEO went from not being an option at all to trading at a peak of nearly 10% implied odds, placing him among the top contenders on the board.
But what goes up fast comes down just as fast. In the hours that followed, White's contract began to lose steam before completely collapsing once it was confirmed that it was all a joke. Right now, he is trading at less than 1%, meaning he is back to not being an option at all.
Currently, the market tracking who will be the next Press Secretary features three main names drawing the bulk of the attention: Ben Ferguson, Scott Jennings, and Anna Kelly.
Ferguson is the current favorite with 20% odds, but he has been losing momentum in recent hours. Keep in mind that just two days ago, he reached a peak of 25% implied probability, and his shares have been sliding ever since. Jennings and Kelly, sitting at 12% and 7% respectively, have remained steady over the past week.
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The Vacancy Since Karoline Leavitt Left in August
The White House Press Secretary podium has technically been vacant since Karoline Leavitt stepped down in August. While Leavitt was not the official Press Secretary, she served as the National Press Secretary for Trump’s 2024 campaign and acted as his primary spokesperson during a crucial stretch of the election cycle.
Her departure left a visible void in the communications team, forcing the administration to rely on a rotating cast of surrogates and deputies to handle daily briefings. The lingering vacancy has only fueled speculation, making the search for a permanent replacement one of the most closely watched storylines in Washington right now.
All this massive attention surrounding the position has translated into over $13 million in trading volume on the Kalshi market predicting who will succeed Leavitt.
What to Watch: When Trump Names a Permanent Pick
The search for Leavitt's replacement has been chaotic, fueled by rumors and pranks like the one we saw last weekend. The reality is that Trump has cautioned he is not in a hurry to find a new Press Secretary, making the timeline highly volatile. There is simply no way to know when a new appointee will be made official, if one is named at all.
Because of this, the prediction market remains highly susceptible to rumors and unconfirmed reports. With no set deadline and no clear profile for the role, it is a wide-open board where anything can happen right now. After all, even the UFC CEO and a few of his toughest fighters could theoretically be an option.
