Dana White, fresh off a decisive political push that helped deliver the White House in 2024, is signaling he may stay involved in national politics with a closer relationship to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That growing rapport coincides with a new State Department partnership that will use UFC athletes as sports envoys overseas. White stops short of endorsing anyone outright, but his comments about Rubio and Vice President JD Vance make clear he’s already thinking about the next Republican moment. The deal marks a notable instance of sports and diplomacy converging in a way the GOP can point to as a practical, values-driven outreach effort.
White’s role in last cycle was big and public, and now he’s hinting at a longer political tail. He said he’s “become really close” to Rubio and framed that closeness as part of why he might not step away from politics. For Republicans who value private-sector influence and national pride, White’s voice still carries weight.
The UFC announced a memorandum of understanding with the State Department, setting up a sports diplomacy partnership that will send fighters and coaches abroad as envoys. The arrangement taps UFC’s global reach and aims to position athletes as role models for young competitors in other countries. It’s a clear win for soft power and a smart move for an organization with athletes from across the globe.
“It’s funny, As I was, leading up to the White House fight, doing all this media, you know, a lot of the left media was saying to me, ‘So, you’re out of politics after this, right?’ And I can’t remember who it was that I said it to but … I said, ‘I’ve become really close to Rubio.’ We’ve become really close.” White’s tone here mixes surprise with intention, and he kept the door open instead of closing it.
“People are asking me if I’m going to get out of politics when the president leaves and I just said, ‘I’ve become very close to Rubio.’ He and I have become friends,” he emphasized, stressing that personal relationships are shaping his thinking. That kind of on-the-record friendship matters in Republican circles where loyalty and shared values often drive choices.
When pressed on whether Rubio is his clear pick for 2028, White added a careful caveat: “I’m not saying I’m picking.” He also acknowledged other names in the conversation, noting, “JD is a great guy too,” which keeps multiple GOP options on the table. He went on to say, “It’s a tricky situation, and I don’t know enough about politics to even comment on that, but, yeah, I don’t know, but it’s not a bad thing to have two strong candidates.”
Rubio and Vance remain the two Republicans most discussed as possible successors to the current president, with Rubio having run in 2016 and showing public support for his peers. Rubio has called Vance a “close friend” and has said the vice president “would be a great nominee if he decides he wants to do that.” Those lines keep the GOP’s bench visible while underscoring party unity.
This marks the UFC’s first formal sports diplomacy agreement with the State Department, joining the NFL as one of the only major leagues to sign such a deal. The partnership explicitly leans on MMA’s international footprint and on America’s broader influence when athletics and values line up. For Republicans who back pragmatic foreign engagement, it’s an example of projecting American strength without guns or tanks.
UFC Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Epstein said the league is “thrilled” about the partnership and that it will let the two organizations “work together to build bridges through community engagement.” He added, “We’re excited to join this program, led by Secretary Rubio, as UFC is a truly global organization with athletes representing 75 countries. We can’t wait to get started later this year.” Those comments highlight the practical, people-to-people side of the agreement.
Secretary Rubio praised the sport’s rise and its alignment with merit-based values, saying it “has become a global phenomenon by embracing values that resonate far beyond the Octagon: excellence, discipline, opportunity, and meritocracy.” He also said the State Department is “proud” to launch the sports diplomacy partnership with UFC and to “continue growing the sport of MMA.” With officials and sports figures on the same page, the program looks set to move from announcement to action in the months ahead.
