Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in an interview on Hill.TV’s “Rising” that journalists are grandstanding during televised press briefings.
“I think the grandstanding is out of control,” Spicer, who has blasted on-camera White House briefings before, told Hill.TV’s Buck Sexton. “I don’t think the cameras should come out of the briefing room, but I do think that the on-camera briefings should be limited.”
“I think that it’s not a good use of time for journalists, it’s not a good use of time for staff, and I don’t think the American taxpayer benefits from it,” he added. “So I would argue that you should still do on-camera things and you should have the occasional on-camera briefing, but the usefulness is no longer there. It’s become a grandstanding type show for journalists to make a name for themselves.”
Spicer is promoting his book “The Briefing,” which details his time as press secretary at the beginning of President Trump’s time in office.
Trump administration officials and reporters frequently spar during on-camera White House press briefings, giving a boost to TV ratings.
The White House has faced criticism for the infrequency of its televised briefings. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders held fewer briefings this summer than the same time period in 2017 and similar periods under the previous two administrations, according to ABC News.
Administration officials say Trump is widely accessible on Twitter and often takes questions during media availabilities at White House events that involve a smaller group of reporters.
However, many journalists argue that on-camera briefings give the American public a chance to see senior White House officials comment and take questions on various issues and topics for a longer period of time.
— Julia Manchester
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