Trump’s first press secretary warns him to stop focusing on looks when picking successor

WASHINGTON, DC: Sean Spicer, who served as President Donald Trump’s first White House press secretary and the only one who was a man, on Tuesday, October 20, warned the president to prioritize competence over appearance when selecting his next spokesperson, following Katie Zacharia’s departure after just five days in the role. 

In an interview with Australian outlet News24, Spicer defended Zacharia’s ability to promote the administration’s agenda but said that the position involves responsibilities beyond political messaging. The now-former press secretary’s abrupt exit has left the White House searching for another press secretary less than three weeks before the November midterm elections.

Sean Spicer says promoting Trump’s agenda is only part of press secretary’s job

During the interview, journalist Andrew Bolt asked Spicer what Zacharia’s brief tenure indicated about White House vetting and whether Trump chose people who looked attractive and agreed with him rather than candidates actually capable of handling the job.

Spicer immediately defended Zacharia, saying that she “does a great job of fighting for the America First agenda,” but cautioned that this represented only “about 20 percent” of the responsibilities.

“I caution the White House and the president, in particular, for just focusing on that part of the duties,” Spicer said, pointing to the logistical demands of working with the media.

He further explained the breadth of the position, which involves communicating on behalf of the federal government and coordinating with government agencies, departments and external stakeholders, including Congress.

“You’re talking about being the point person for the government of the United States through all the agencies and the departments, coordinating with outside stakeholders in Congress, and I don’t think some people fully appreciate that aspect of the job,” Spicer added.

Spicer added that “secondly, it’s incumbent upon the candidates who want to put themselves out there for this job to recognize their own strengths and weaknesses.”

Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure leaves White House without press secretary again

Zacharia began her tenure on October 12 after being selected to replace Karoline Leavitt, who left the position at the end of August to spend more time with her family.

Just 5 days after Zacharia’s first day, White House officials on Friday, October 16, confirmed Zacharia’s departure after questions about her professional background and criticism of her first briefing and media appearances. Her tenure is the shortest of any White House press secretary.

Just hours before her exit, Trump told reporters he had encouraged Zacharia to reconsider remaining in the position after she faced difficult media coverage. “I said to her honestly, if I were you, I'd reconsider,” Trump said. “She's got a beautiful husband and family ... maybe it's not for her.”

The president also said that he was in no rush to appoint a replacement. The departure leaves Trump without a press secretary as he campaigns for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with his administration seeking to highlight its record and help the party retain control of Congress.