White House press secretary Sean Spicer was excluded from meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican Wednesday morning despite the devout Catholic staffer’s high hopes to be included in the visit.
President Trump, first lady Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, State Secretary Rex Tillerson and national security adviser H.R. McMaster met the pope inside the Sala del Tronetto. In addition, communications adviser Hope Hicks, former bodyguard Keith Schiller and social media curator Dan Scavino got to stand in the room while Trump interacted with the pope.
Although Spicer was among a number of top-ranking White House staffers who were excluded from the meet and greet, one official’s comment on the incident indicates Spicer was devastated by Trump putting family and old friends above him.
“Wow. That’s all he wanted,” the official told CNN, adding it “very much” should be seen as a slight.
For months, Spicer has been the center of rumors that he is on the chopping block, though nothing has come of it yet.
The trip to the Vatican was the third stop in Trump’s eight-day foreign trip.
