'I'm used to dealing with friction': Trump’s new communications director reacts to Sean Spicer’s abrupt resignation
President Donald Trump and newly appointed White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci both commented on Friday about Press Secretary Sean Spicer's resignation earlier that day. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who has been promoted from deputy press secretary to press secretary read a statement from Trump at the press briefing. Following is a transcript from the video.
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: I'd like to read a statement from the president on the resignation of Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
I am grateful for Sean's work on behalf of my administration and the American people. I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities. Just look at his great television ratings.
MAJOR GARRETT: Did you have any hesitation taking this job, knowing it might cause some friction? And that it might lead to Sean leaving? Which is what's going to happen. And the two are at least somewhat coincidental. And did you have any hesitation about how you would relate to the rest of the White House staff, if you came in under those circumstances?
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI: Okay, well, well listen. Remember, I'm a businessperson, and so, what happens in business a lot of the time is you have some rotation in personnel as you're making changes. And you have lifestyle choices that people are also making.
I would love to have Sean here. Sean decided that he thought it would be better to and for me, as it relates to Sean, it speaks volumes to who he is as a human being, who he is as a team player. So, his attitude is, if Anthony's coming in, let me clear the slate for Anthony. And I do appreciate that about Sean, and I love him for it, but I don't have any friction with Sean, I don't have any friction with Reince.
This is the White House in the United States of America. And we're serving the president. And I want to make sure that our cultural template is that we put the president's agenda first, which is perfect for the American people, and we serve his interest.
And so, if we have a little bit of friction inside the White House as a result of that, it's okay, we can all live with that.
I'm a businessperson, I'm used to dealing with friction.