Story highlights Given the chance to walk away from his Assad-Hitler comparison, Spicer made it worse

He later apologized for the remark

Washington (CNN) It was supposed to be a slow week in Washington. Congress was gone for the Passover and Easter holidays. President Donald Trump was headed to Mar-a-Lago -- natch -- for a long weekend with promises that it would be newsless.

For White House press secretary Sean Spicer, it seemed perfect: Knock out a few press briefings early in the week and then coast into a much-deserved break.

Didn't turn out that way.

On Monday, Spicer was asked what the Trump administration's policy was as regards Syria -- following on Trump's decision to launch 60 Tomahawk missiles at an air base believed to be the launch site of a chemical attack on civilians. Here's what he said: "If you gas a baby, if you put a barrel bomb into innocent people, I think you will see a response from this President."

Hours later, Spicer was out with a clarification. "Nothing has changed in our posture," he said.

Read More