Trump offers UFC boss press secretary post, urges criminal probes of Democrats

WASHINGTON: Facing an incoming Democratic Congress, US President Donald Trump struck a combative tone on Saturday (Nov 7), offering friend and "violent fighter" Dana White the White House press secretary job and ordering the Justice Department to investigate his opponents.

Democrats handed Trump's Republicans a blowout defeat in midterm elections this week and will take control of both chambers of Congress in January. They are promising robust investigations of Trump and his administration.

Trump, however, showed no signs of being chastened.

He offered the press secretary post to White, a loyal supporter who is head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial arts organisation.

"Dana, please take the job!" Trump posted on social media, describing White as a "violent Fighter and Warrior."

Speaking to reporters following a boxing event in London late Saturday, White said he was flying to Washington "right now" and will meet with Trump on Monday.

"I'll have more to talk about after that," he said.

White had earlier shared a photo - possibly AI-generated - showing him behind the lectern in the White House press briefing room, captioned "On to the next chapter."

Trump on Saturday also ordered the Justice Department to investigate Democrats for "extortion at the highest level".

"The Democrats are going around threatening a lot of people," he wrote, adding that he was ordering the Justice Department to "look into this criminal act".

Denying that anyone in his administration had committed impeachable offenses, Trump called for prison time for "these extortionists".

Saturday's announcements came a day after Trump appointed Stephen Miller to be his next chief of staff, describing the combative senior adviser as "a great