President Trump is “pleased” with the performance of his staff even though his communications director is leaving and rumors of a possible shakeup continue, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday.
“I think the president is very pleased with his team,” Spicer said Tuesday when asked about the resignation of Trump’s communications director, Mike Dubke, who plans to leave the administration after less than three months on the job.
Spicer’s own future at the podium has been the subject of speculation as Trump considers making changes to his communications shop, potentially including ending daily press briefings with a spokesman.
Tuesday’s briefing was Spicer’s first since Trump’s foreign trip, which had him in Saudi Arabia, Israel, Rome, Brussels and Italy last week.
Asked about potential communications changes, Spicer suggested the administration will use Cabinet officials more often in briefings.
“The president has an unbelievably qualified Cabinet,” he said. “And we’ve utilized them a ton in the past. And if we can continue to do that on key issues we’re going to do that.”
“Ultimately, the best messenger is the president himself,” Spicer added. “He’s always proven that, that he is the best messenger.”
Spicer acknowledged the president is “frustrated” over the media’s coverage of the White House.
“I that think he is frustrated, like I am and so many others, to see stories come out that are patently false, to see narratives that are wrong, to see quote unquote fake news,” Spicer said. “When you see stories get perpetrated that are absolutely false, that are not based in fact, that is troubling. He is rightly concerned.”
His comments come as former campaign hands Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie have been spotted at the White House in recent days. Both are under consideration for some sort of new role with Trump, according to sources familiar with the conversations.
