It’s official: Sean Spicer will be the White House Press Secretary in the Trump administration. The Republican National Committee chief strategist and communications director had been considered a front runner for the role, and is someone who frequently appears on cable news as an effective surrogate for the now-President-elect.
Spicer has been the RNC’s communications director since 2011, and chief strategist since 2015.
Thank you @realDonaldTrump for this amazing honor. Excited to join Hope Hicks @DanScavino @JasonMillerinDC https://t.co/amZth0zD4j #MAGA
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) December 22, 2016
Trump’s longtime campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks, transition communications director Jason Miller, and Dan Scavino, who ran the President-elect’s social media efforts, are all getting Trump White House communications positions. The President-elect is known for rewarding loyalty, and Spicer, Hicks, Miller and Scavino have been defenders of Trump’s presidential campaign throughout.
Hicks becomes director of strategic communications, Miller as director of communications, and Scavino is going to be director of social media for the incoming administration.
“Sean, Hope, Jason and Dan have been key members of my team during the campaign and transition. I am excited they will be leading the team that will communicate my agenda that will Make America Great Again,” Trump said in a statement.
Spicer has spent 15 years in communications for GOPers in Washington, and is well known among D.C. reporters. But he also hasn’t been afraid to go head-to-head with TV newsers, including a recent clash with CNN New Day co-anchor Chris Cuomo.
.@ChrisCuomo to @seanspicer: Transparency is woefully lacking where it matters most. Spicer replies: “We have been unbelievably transparent” pic.twitter.com/gNQmrZ6FU0
— New Day (@NewDay) December 15, 2016
On the other hand, it appears that neither Fox News hosts Kimberly Guilfoyle nor Laura Ingraham will be a part of the White House Communications team. We wrote about Guilfoyle’s dark horse candidacy yesterday, and about Ingraham’s interest in the job in November, but it appears Trump’s transition team went with the front runner Spicer.