Spicer on whether his podium days are over: I’m ‘right here’

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday that a shift could be coming to the communications staff but that for the time being he's "right here" behind the briefing room lectern.

"So you can keep taking your selfies," Spicer wisecracked, before saying, “Look, it's no secret we've had a couple vacancies, including our communications director that was gone for a while,” Spicer said at Tuesday’s press briefing, his first in eight days. “We've been meeting with potential people that may be of service to this administration. I don't think that should come as any surprise, but we're always looking for ways to do a better job of articulating the president's message and his agenda.”


Spicer has held dual roles at the White House as both press secretary and communications director since Mike Dubke resigned from the latter job last month. Spicer has interviewed candidates to replace him at the briefing room lectern, including conservative radio host Laura Ingraham and Daily Mail editor David Martosko, POLITICO reported Monday.

President Donald Trump has reportedly been critical of Spicer and the larger White House communications team. The team has struggled at times to present the administration’s message in conjunction with the president’s Twitter account, which has on occasion contradicted what administration spokespeople have said.

Spicer did not outright confirm that changes to the White House communications team or his own role might be coming, nor did he offer a timeline for any such changes.

“We've been seeking input from individuals as far as ideas that they have,” Spicer said. “We'll continue to have those discussions internally. When we have an announcement of a personnel nature, we'll let you know.”