Spicer: Holding White House press briefings every day ‘not worth it’

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the White House’s daily on-camera briefing with reporters is “not worth” the hassle.

Appearing on C-SPAN on Sunday, Spicer said the on-camera briefings have become “more of a show” for TV reporters and less about keeping the public informed.

“I think that the press office should be available, as they are, to give the press responses and updates as to what’s going on at the White House, but I think the daily briefing is sort of worth re-examining,” Spicer said. 

“I think a morning gaggle and, you know, selected days where you do an on-camera one is worth it. But the briefing has become more of a show than an outlet of information for the media.”

{mosads}Under the Trump administration, the briefings have become marked by confrontational moments between press secretaries Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who assumed Spicer’s old position, and reporters.

“I think we should provide the media on a daily basis answers to the questions that they have, updates to the issues that are ongoing,” Spicer continued. “But I think that the time and effort that it takes to get that briefing going and what you get in return is not worth it.”

Former White House press secretaries Ari Fleischer, who served under former President George W. Bush, and Mike McCurry, who served under former President Clinton, have also advocated for abandoning on-camera press briefings due to the theatrics that come with it, arguing it’s “better for the public.”