June 19 (UPI) — White House press secretary Sean Spicer will move up from his role as President Donald Trump‘s spokesman and into another position, administration officials said Monday.
Spicer is expected to transition to a higher, more behind-the-scenes communications role, The Washington Post reported Monday, citing a senior administration official.
Spicer and White House chief of staff Reince Priebus have already been looking for a replacement since at least last week, and former Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham is being considered for the press secretary role, according to Politico.
Soon after Trump’s election victory, Ingraham was considered a leading candidate for the White House post, but said she’d only take the job if she had a more significant role in policy making.
Ingraham wouldn’t be the first Fox News personality to take on the role of White House press secretary. Tony Snow went from the conservative network to the White House in 2006 to serve as President George W. Bush‘s press officer.
If Spicer does leave the role, it will end one of the most contentious relationships a White House press secretary has had with the media in recent years.
Spicer opened up his first press briefing by criticizing the media’s reporting of Trump’s inauguration, accusing reporters of being “shameful” and “wrong.” His aggressive style was also roundly mocked by actress Melissa McCarthy in an episode of Saturday Night Live.
Trump was reportedly upset about the impression, which went viral and proved to be so popular that McCarthy came back on the show weeks later to revive the Spicer role.
“Trump doesn’t like his people to look weak,” a Trump donor said.
