‘I’m right here’: Spicer shrugs off reports of his potential departure from briefings
White House press secretary Sean Spicer dismissed reports that he would be stepping out of the public eye during an on-camera press briefing at the White House today, despite not taking questions on camera for a week.
“I’m right here, so you can keep taking your selfies,” Spicer said when asked if he was leaving the position of press secretary.
A former strategist on the Republican National Committee, Spicer is reportedly considering taking on a more strategic role in the Trump administration that would keep him off camera, according to the Associated Press.
“But look, it’s no secret that we’ve had a few vacancies, including our communications director, who’s been gone for a while,” Spicer said.
“I don’t think that should come as a surprise that we’re always looking for ways to do a better job of articulating the president’s message and agenda, and we’ll continue to have those discussions internally. When we have an announcement of a personal nature, we’ll let you know,” he said.
President Trump has long considered making major staffing changes within the White House, the Associated Press reported, and reports have constantly swirled of top advisers being potentially replaced. But outside of communications director Mike Dubke, the press office has not seen any departures. Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders started doing some of the White House briefings early last month.
The Associated Press also reports that conservative radio host Laura Ingraham and Daily Mail editor David Martosko have been in talks to fill senior positions in the White House communications office.
Spicer has frequently made headlines for his fiery responses and sometimes inaccurate statements at briefings. According to the Washington Post, Trump has also criticized Spicer’s performance in front of other top aides after his sudden firing of FBI Director James Comey sparked outrage across the nation.
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