Breaking: Trump says he was 'kidding' about offering Dana White press secretary job

United States President Donald Trump has backtracked on his announcement to offer Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White the vacant White House press secretary role, saying he was "only kidding".

While speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Florida on Sunday evening, local time, Mr Trump said he still expected to speak with Mr White on Monday.

Mr Trump also said he believed Mr White "loves the idea" of the job offer.

In his initial Truth Social post on Saturday, local time, Mr Trump described Mr White as "a violent Fighter and Warrior" and said he could appoint several well-known UFC stars as his assistants.

On the tarmac in Florida a day later, the president said the nature of the post was a sign it was a joke.

He then told reporters that he was kidding five consecutive times in the same address.

"If you saw the assistants, I posted the greatest wrestlers and UFC fighters in the world, right? Like Khabib, like Justin Gaethje who's phenomenal … You would've thought that people would've said, 'He's having a good time,'" Mr Trump said.

"I was only kidding, but Dana loves the idea and there's only one Dana … It was just a little fun.

"This was an example of something where I was kidding."

Following Mr Trump's Truth Social post, Mr White then posted his own image that appeared to show him standing at a White House lectern in the press briefing room, with a caption that read: "On to the next chapter".

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.