UFC president Dana White has shared new details about a surprising moment with former President Barack Obama during Donald Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. Despite his close relationship with Trump, White described a cordial exchange with Obama that he had never publicly discussed before.
A short conversation that surprised him
“I am an American citizen,” White told 60 Minutes on Sunday (28 September). “[Joe] Biden was my president, Trump is my president. I was at the inauguration, and I was sitting behind all the ex-presidents. There was this stuff going around: ‘Dana’s mad dogging President Obama.’
“President Obama turned around – the only president that did – and shook my hand and said: ‘Congratulations on all your success.’ I said: ‘Thank you very much, Mr President.’ That’s what happened. I’ve never talked about that publicly.”
White emphasized that the moment was cordial and that he had not previously spoken about it in public.
Moving from a handshake to a plan for the South Lawn
White and his team have been actively working on turning the idea of a White House fight card into reality. He says he and his group recently met with President Trump to present designs and logistics for the event.
“So, we went to the White House last week, me and my team, and we had the first meeting with him [President Trump],” White said on 10 September. “We laid out all the renderings, and we started to get him to sign off on what he likes and doesn’t like. And he loved it, so now we’re diving in headfirst. Now all the work starts.”
White envisions staging the Octagon on the South Lawn with an intimate, invite-only crowd on the grounds while using the surrounding park space for a much larger public viewing experience.
Security and logistics are massive considerations
White was candid about the practical challenges involved in putting on a show at the presidential residence, particularly around security.
“The last time I was at the White House, I went up on the roof of the White House, and they’ve got snipers with .50 cals all over the roof of the White House. It’s pretty crazy. But yes, I mean, the security is gonna be a massive issue, because at the end of the day, secret service’s job is to protect the president.
“I don’t know how it’s gonna work out as far as having people there live, on the lawn of the White House. It’ll be under 5,000, though. But… I can’t remember what they call it, but there’s a park connected to the White House. We can put 85,000 people over there with screens. We’re gonna put a big stage out there and do concerts. We’re gonna take over Washington DC that whole week.”
Given the scale and prominence of the UFC event at the White House, White expects many notable figures to attend, though he acknowledged it remains uncertain whether any former presidents will join Trump for the card.
Fighters circling the event — Conor McGregor speaks up
Several top names have already flagged interest in the proposed White House card. Conor McGregor has publicly said he wants to be part of it and described the unusual nature of the negotiations.
“I’m not negotiating with the UFC on behalf of myself for this fight like usual,” said McGregor. “I’m negotiating with the United States of America on behalf of Ireland for this fight. It’s a peculiar one. Trump and the administration have been fully supportive and backing, and I cannot wait to put on a show.”
McGregor also laid out his compensation demands in plain terms, asking for “$100m” and “100 US ‘Golden Visas’” as part of his pitch for a White House return.
White says the renderings are approved in principle and that the next phase is logistical: security planning, permitting and how many fans can safely be accommodated on site versus in the nearby public spaces. He repeatedly noted the event will require novel coordination with the Secret Service and other agencies.
For now, the idea remains in development. White says he and his team are “diving in headfirst,” and that the coming months will show whether the ambitious concept can be executed as envisioned.
