Trump’s first press secretary warns him to stop focusing on looks for his next pick

Sean Spicer, who served as Donald Trump's first press secretary, is urging the president to stop weighing appearance when choosing the next person to lead White House briefings. Asked by Andrew Bolt of the Australian outlet News24 whether Trump favors good-looking loyalists over competent staff, Spicer said the choice should rest on whether a candidate can handle the whole job, according to The Independent.

The comments follow rapid turnover. Trump has had six press secretaries across his two terms. Karoline Leavitt left at the end of August to spend time with family, and her successor, Katie Zacharia, lasted five days. Zacharia's first briefing went badly, marked by visible nerves and an awkward slip about her husband, and social media likened her stint to that of Anthony Scaramucci, whose 11 days as communications director set a record. Trump said he urged Zacharia to reconsider because the press had treated her harshly.

Spicer defended Zacharia's intelligence and her commitment to the America First agenda, but said that advocacy is only about 20 percent of the role. The remainder, Spicer said, involves media logistics and coordinating agencies, departments and Congress.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →