Summary
Thus concludes the first White House briefing featuring incoming communications director Anthony Scaramucci. Here’s what we learned:
- Scaramucci said he hadn’t done the research but there was probably some truth to the president’s claim that millions voted illegally in the 2016 presidential election.
- No shred of evidence exists to support such an outrageous claim, which has been advanced as part of what is perceived to be a broader effort undertaken by the White House to assuage Trump’s wounded ego at losing the popular vote and by conservatives to purge voter rolls.
- Scaramucci further asserted that if people look hard enough they were likely to find at least some measure of truth in everything the president says, which did not land as a rousing defense of Trump’s honesty.
Personally, I think baghdad bob is off to a great start.pic.twitter.com/d1wfgN9zFa
— Matt Bors (@MattBors) July 21, 2017
- Scaramucci would not commit to the White House holding consistent on-camera briefings.
- Scaramucci announced that Sarah Huckabee Sanders would replace Sean Spicer as press secretary.
- Though Scaramucci said he loved chief of staff Reince Priebus like a brother, he said he would be reporting directly to the president.
- Scaramucci repeatedly said he loved the president, he said so many people love the president so deeply and people in the White House love each other, and he named many people he loved, except Steve Bannon whom he respects he said.
Updated
SHS takes a question about high turnover at the White House.
“You would have to aske the president what he’s learned in that process.
“What we’ve learned is that working together... is what we do...[??]
“No I don’t see it as chaos,” she says.
Fingertips kiss! Top.
. @Scaramucci OUT. pic.twitter.com/DI7bux3l2a
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) July 21, 2017
Huckabee Sanders steps up as press secretary
Sarah Huckabee Sanders talks about Spicer. “He understood that the president wanted to bring in new people to the team and he wanted the president to have a totally clean slate.”
“He’s served the president loyally and admirably,” she says.
SHS on Trump considering pardons:
I’d refer you to the comments that have been made by the outside counsel... the president maintains pardon powers like any president would... I don’t have anything to add.”
On reports that Trump’s lawyers are digging for dirt on Mueller:
The president has absolutely nothing to do with any of the allegations that are being made... and he wants them to complete the process as soon as possible so we can move on.. .beyond Russia fever.”
Scaramucci continues. He says it’s his job to let Trump be Trump.
“It’s super important to us to let him express his personality. It has been a very successful life experience for president Trump to be president Trump.”
Does Scaramucci have Oval Office privileges?
I’m not one of these people that needs to have unnecessary face time with the president.
I’ll meet with him but I don’t want to waste his time.
Scaramucci out.
Scaramucci has announced at least five times he’s going to go, only to take another question.
Scaramucci does not say he loves Steve Bannon
Well observed. He’s smooth.
It's a bit weird when Trump gets a new professional liar and reporters are like WOW VERY SMOOTH SMOOTHNESS.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) July 21, 2017
Scaramucci is asked about Steve Bannon hating him, and he says he wants to work with Steve Bannon as closely as he can.
He does not say he loves Steve Bannon, but he does say he respects him.
Scaramucci is asked about Trump’s abysmal approval ratings. He says something about the state polls being better than the national polls. Who’s polling states right now?
Then Scaramucci repeats that “The president is really well loved.”
Scaramucci says if Trump says it 'there's probably some level of truth in it'
Scaramucci is asked about Trump’s outrageous assertion that 3m false votes were counted in the last election.
He makes the outstanding observation that there is likely an ounce of truth in everything the president says.
If the president says it, let me do a little more research on that but there’s probably some level of truth in it.
He says if Trump says it it’s “probably” true to a certain degree, to the surprise of people who challenge Trump’s statements in the first place.
Then he says the president loves Sarah.
Updated
Scarmucci is asked about chain of command.
“I’m gonna let Reince answer that, I have no problem working for Reince.”
Then he adds:
“I have no problem working for Reince. The president said I report to him directly.”
Oh.
When’s Trump’s press conference?
Scaramucci: “I’ll talk to him. Absolutely.”
Then Scaramucci says Trump is amazing with the press. Looks like we’ll have to take his word for it for the foreseeable future.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 21, 2017
Scaramucci also loves Scavino and Hicks
Scaramucci is asked about Trump only speaking for himself and whether that will be a problem for him like it was for Spicer. He replies:
I thought Sean did a very very good job, he’s a very articulate person.. he’ll be a very effective communicator wherever he goes... I do believe that the best messenger.. in the White House is the president of the United States.
Scaramucci says he’ll learn from Trump and from SHS.
Then he says “Dan Scavino and Hope Hicks are staying.”
Scaramucci, after saying once again “I love the president,” says he also loves Scavino and Hicks.
Is this what Hollywood is like?
On the question of “fake news”:
Scaramucci says he had a personal incident with CNN and it went well after the report was retracted.
He says “I have empathy for journalists in terms of sometimes they’re going to get stories wrong.” That doesn’t sound like empathy.
Then he says there’s “media bias” and they’re going to work to get the truth out.
Scaramucci takes a Russia question.
“I sort of didn’t have my White House counsel briefing before my press briefing,” Scaramucci says. Punt.
Then he says Trump throws footballs through tires, makes free throws and sinks three-foot putts. We missed the point of those anecdotes but sounds cool.
After every answer, Scaramucci says he’s going to try to answer every question.
Scaramucci says he will “do my best” to maintain honesty and integrity in the briefing room. Then he says Priebus was involved in the decision to hiring him, which judging by media reports is false.
Scaramucci won't commit to cameras in the briefing room
Will the White House keep TV cameras in the briefing room?
“If she supplies hair and makeup I will consider it,” Scaramucci cracks. Then he says “we’ll see.”
Scaramucci is asked about calling Trump a “political hack” in 2015.
Scaramucci says Trump “brings it up every 15 seconds. One of the biggest mistakes that I made” early on in politics was to say that, he says.
He finishes:
Mr President, if you’re listening, I personally apologize for the 50th time for saying that... I hope that some day you will forget it.
Scaramucci moved by 'love people have' for president
Scaramucci is asked if he was disappointed as a member of the transition team not to join the administration immediately.
“I would say as an entrepreneur you have to be accustomed to setbacks,” he says.
Was I disappointed, yes. But I love the president, and I’m very very loyal to the president.
Scaramucci then describes being moved by seeing “the love people have” for the president. He won’t stop talking about love.
Scaramucci: I love Spicer, Trump
“I want to serve the president,” Scaramucci says.
He says he regrets not serving in the military. “I love the president, I obviously love the country,” he says.
On his financial profile and potential conflicts:
I have worked with the office of governmental ethics to take care of my business conflicts.. and I don’t see an issue with it.
Scaramucci says his official start date is in a couple weeks.
Scaramucci says the first thing you have to do as a rich person if you want to serve the country is liquidate assets which he calls an “opportunity cost” which doesn’t make sense unless you consider public service an investment that might be more lucrative than the other opportunities?
Then he says “I love Sean” again.
Huckabee Sanders named press secretary
PS: Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be the new press secretary, Scaramucci says.
Scaramucci is asked how he’ll get White House back on track. He says it’s not off track.
He ignores a question about how the president contradicts his spokespeople and the challenges facing this communications team.
Scaramucci on Spicer: I hope he gets rich
Scaramucci appears and thanks Spicer and says:
This is obviously a difficult situation to be in, and... I love the guy and I with him well and I hope he goes on to make tremendous amounts of money.
Scaramucci is rich and wants the same for his former public servant friends.
Now here’s Scaramucci on Priebus and rumors of friction there:
Reince and I have been personal friends for six years. We’re a little bit like brothers, so we rough each other up a little bit...
Scaramucci says he and Priebus are a team. Scaramucci is smooth here.
Trump on Spicer: 'I wish him continued success'
Statement from Trump on Spicer as read by SHS:
I am grateful for Sean’s work.. I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities, just look at his great television ratings.
Spicer will serve through August.
Here’s Trump on Scaramucci:
He is a person I have great respect for, and he will be an important addition... we have accomplished so much, and we are getting credit for so little.
Press briefing begins
Here’s Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
“Slow news day?” she cracks. Nobody laughs. Camera shutters click.
She starts off with a statement about “Made in America” week, which you can read about here:
Wonder if @melissamccarthy is studying @Scaramucci tape?
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) July 21, 2017
SNL isn’t back with new episodes until October, so maybe she should wait to see if he sticks?
Reuters has a camera on Spicer’s house, apparently. A la Comey.
Get a grip, Reuters.https://t.co/dRY7pt8m9r
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) July 21, 2017
This is real pic.twitter.com/sSyMf0mWK7
— Peter Hamby (@PeterHamby) July 21, 2017
Here’s Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director, calling Trump a “political hack” and otherwise impugning him, with good old New York vigor, a couple years ago #communication:
Scaramucci on Trump, Aug 2015: “a hack… anti-American… bullies association… don’t like the way he talks about women” https://t.co/s8BW4RPloK pic.twitter.com/fvEtTiW2Eo
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) July 21, 2017
Updated
Slow clap:
I won't believe Sean Spicer resigned until he denies it.
— Michael Rosenberg (@Rosenberg_Mike) July 21, 2017
Why was Scaramucci’s hiring the last straw for Spicer, after everything else?
Spicer was fine with all the lying, chaos, corruption and personal embarrassment but the new communications director was a bridge too far?
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) July 21, 2017
This is the hill you die on?
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) July 21, 2017
The things these guys choose to care about are beyond me. https://t.co/ujpxsXLNE6
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) July 21, 2017
This tweet about the very high rate of turnover very early on in the Trump administration does not even take into account the musical chairs of lawyers they have going:
By August, this admin will have seen departures of NSA, deputy COS, comms director, press sect and VP's COS. Fwiw, that's not normal.
— Matthew Nussbaum (@MatthewNussbaum) July 21, 2017
That’s:
– former national security adviser Michael Flynn
– former deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh
– former communications director Mike Dubke
– former vice presidential chief of staff Josh Pitcock
and now
– former press secretary Sean Spicer
Two of these amigos are reported to strenuously object to the third:
BREAKING: @seanhannity will now be speaking with Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus and Anthony Scaramucci on his show tonight on FOX News https://t.co/PnA2S80yo2
— Lauren Blanchard (@LaurenBlanch12) July 21, 2017
Spicer speaks: Trump could use 'clean slate'
Addressing his resignation, Spicer has said that the White House was at a point where Trump “could benefit from a clean slate,” AP reports.
BREAKING: Press secretary Sean Spicer on his resignation: White House at point where Trump "could benefit from a clean slate."
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 21, 2017
Sean Spicer: the reality TV star at war with reality
It began like a hurricane as he ranted at reporters and, channeling his master’s voice, declared war on reality itself. It ended exactly half a year later, petering out like a drizzle of rain.
Sean Spicer quit as White House press secretary on Friday after it became clear Donald Trump was hiring Anthony Scaramucci, a New York financier, as his new communications director.
It was not only the latest indication of chaos and dysfunction at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue but also cause for something like mourning among a legion of viewers and satirists. In the space of six months Spicer had become a reality TV celebrity.
It was 5.39pm on a cold, grey Saturday in January, the day of the women’s march in Washington, when Spicer first strode to the podium in the James S Brady Press Briefing Room. There were some empty seats, but those present were treated to an extraordinary tirade in which Spicer angrily denounced the media and falsely claimed: “This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration – period – both in person and around the globe.”
Distinguished journalists who thought they had seen it all grimaced. One sighed: “I feel like I’m back at school, being given a ticking off by the head teacher.” A correspondent told his viewers that Spicer “tore a strip off the media as wide as an Iowa farm”.
But although he began like judge and jury, in the months that followed, Spicer, 45, increasingly came to resemble a prisoner in the dock, wilting under cross-examination and caught out in self-contradictions. The daily press briefings became a must-watch like courtroom TV and a gift that kept on giving to comedians, most notably Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live.
Read further:
Live video stream
Here’s a video feed of the room – we’ll stick it atop the blog too:
Summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 21 July 2017 White House press briefing, scheduled to begin at 2pm ET.
Out of habit we almost typed “daily press briefing”, but the fact is that the White House has not had one of these, on-camera, for three weeks.
Apart from the rarity that on-camera press briefings have become in the age of Donald Trump, today is special because press secretary Sean Spicer has just resigned in a fit of pique over the appointment this morning of former hedge funder Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director.
You won’t have Spicer to kick around anymore.
Spicer was said to object to Scaramucci as an outsider and an amateur – and Spicer may not have felt as if he needed a new boss. Scaramucci’s appointment was also opposed by strategist Steve Bannon and chief of staff Reince Priebus, who was reported to be “furious” at Scaramucci’s arrival.
But Spicer was the one to resign, in a move that came as a bit of a shock despite the press secretary’s sometimes painfully visible unhappiness on the job.
Possible next press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is doing the honors at the lectern in the Brady briefing room today. While we wait, here’s a roundup of Sean Spicer lowlights:
Read further:
