In an age of 'fake news', it is ironic that President Trump's former press secretary, Sean Spicer, seemed to spout anything but that. It is no secret that the US President despises news outlets that make his life particularly difficult, but Mr. Spicer consistently embarrassed him during his short time by producing constant misinformation.
Kenneth T. Walsh at US News argues that the problem with Mr. Spicer's style laid with President Trump himself. He says that the US President encouraged his former press secretary to develop a tone towards journalists that was aggressive and confrontational, due to his boss's hatred of 'fake news' organizations.
This argument has been supported by political scientist, Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia, who told CNN that the American people deserve better than propaganda and outright lies.
'He made the relationship between Washington and the media worse.'
To be fair to Mr. Spicer, his job was to inform the press about any updates from the White House. Dan Pfieffer, former White House communications director for Barack Obama, said press briefings is part of the job. He said governing is about communicating and interacting with the public. Mr. Pfieffer is correct, but President Trump's former press secretary was only successful in spreading more, not less, fake news about his boss. He has made the relationship between Washington and the media worse.
It is a blessing in disguise that he is gone.
Mr. Spicer performed a series of notable gaffes that contaminated the Trump administration. During the US President's first days in the role, he told a crowd of reporters that the attendance at the inauguration in January was the largest audience ever. Yet that turned out to be a lie and he instantly earned fame as a social media meme.
He also claimed that a terrorist attack in Atlanta, which never actually happened, was a justification for the travel ban that President Trump enforced during the first days into his presidency, and which he is still trying to legally implement now. In fact, what made Mr. Spicer's position untenable is that he kept dismissing reporters who referred to it as a ban, even though his boss did just that.
'An obstacle to the UK-US relationship.'
The former spin doctor became an obstacle to the UK-US relationship. He refused to apologize after claiming the British spied on President Trump. This was the last incident the US President needed when he is trying to create a post-Brexit trade deal between both countries. The special relationship between the UK and US was badly damaged during the Obama years, and the Trump administration is attempting to rebuild it. An annoying spin doctor is the last problem they need.
The list of errors the former press secretary made are endless. Maybe now that he is gone, the US President can continue with his domestic reforms that he wants to implement. The Trump administration wants to make some substantial changes that can transform the US for the better. With Mr. Spicer gone, perhaps the White House can concentrate on these more significant issues.
