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Report: Trump Considering Dropping Sean Spicer

Sean Spicer
White House press secretary Sean Spicer / AP
May 13, 2017

President Trump is weighing a major administration shake-up that would include firing White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, according to a New York Times report.

He also has become frustrated with Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, the former Republican National Committee chairman.

After a tumultuous week stemming from Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey and a series of mixed explanations for its timing and reasoning, Trump "is considering a broad shakeup" of his team that would include dropping Spicer:

Mr. Trump is growing increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of his chief of staff, Reince Priebus; the communications director, Michael Dubke; and Mr. Spicer, a Priebus ally, according to a half-dozen West Wing officials who said the president was considering the most far-reaching shake-up of his already tumultuous term.

Mr. Spicer’s blustery style mimics Mr. Trump’s, but people close to both men said he has not developed an especially close relationship with the president and has failed to use the self-protective tools that savvier Trump aides have adopted.

According to the report, Trump has put forth Fox News commentator Kimberly Guilfoyle as a possible replacement for Spicer.

Spicer, his deputy Sarah Huckabee Sanders and even Vice President Mike Pence put forth the story this week that Trump acted on the recommendation of the Justice Department to dismiss Comey. However, Trump then told NBC News anchor Lester Holt that he was going fire Comey "regardless" of any recommendation.