Sean Spicer, the former White House press secretary, reappeared in the White House briefing room on Friday, but this time he was in a reporter's chair.

When the president called on Spicer, he referred to him as the reporter "in the back" and didn't acknowledge that it was his former top aide.

The president then dodged Spicer's question about four lawmakers who sold large portions of their personal stock portfolios after receiving information about the impending coronavirus outbreak.

Many members of the media expressed disbelief that a former press secretary could be granted a seat among reporters in the briefing room.

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Sean Spicer, the former White House press secretary, reappeared in the White House briefing room on Friday, but this time he was in a reporter's chair.

When President Donald Trump called on Spicer, he referred to him as the reporter "in the back" and didn't acknowledge that it was his former top aide.

Spicer, who now hosts a Newsmax show, asked Trump a question about his plan for helping small businesses endure the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak and another about four senators who sold off stocks after receiving early information about the damage the outbreak was expected to do to the economy; Spicer suggested the lawmakers sought to "profit" off the crisis.

Trump insisted that his administration would do more to help struggling small businesses and dodged Spicer's question about the lawmakers, three of whom are Republicans.

"I don't know too much about what it's about, but I find them to all be very honorable people," Trump said, mentioning the one Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, by name. "And they said they did nothing wrong."

Reporters in the briefing room tweeted photos of Spicer, who was seated in a chair designated for the conservative media outlets One America News Network and Newsmax. Some expressed disbelief that a former press secretary could be granted a seat among reporters in the room.

Critics of the administration were quick to point out that Trump has long accused the press of having a liberal bias but is happy to engage with right-leaning outlets like Fox News.

Trump has taken time at the podium this week to attack legacy newspapers and mainstream outlets. On Friday, he refused to answer a straightforward question from the NBC News reporter Peter Alexander, calling him a "terrible reporter." On Thursday, he praised an OAN reporter and her network for treating him "very nicely."