CNN’s Wolf Blitzer managed to snag the first live interview with former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus since his departure from the Trump administration.
While Pres. Trump made the announcement official via Twitter at around 4:50 p.m. ET today, Priebus says “I formally resigned yesterday.”
The interview between Blitzer and Priebus lasted for about 16 minutes.
“I’ve been obviously talking to the president for a few days about this,” said Priebus. “The president was great, he wanted to include me in who would be a great successor. I think Kelly’s a brilliant pick. This is not a situation with a bunch of ill-will feelings. I think this is smart for the president.”
Priebus later said to Blitzer that he was not asked to resign by the president, but Priebus “offered my resignation and he accepted it.”
The former White House chief of staff avoided Blitzer’s questions about his relationship with new White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci and the revelations that were gleaned from the infamous New Yorker interview with Ryan Lizza that was published last night. “I’m not going to get into the mud…I’m going to honor the president, his agenda and our country and not get into this personal stuff.”
“I’ve always said to him, anytime either one of us think that we need to make a change or move in different direction let’s just talk about it and get it done. I’m looking forward to the future, and I’m always gonna be a Trump fan. I’m on team Trump.”
“I think the president wanted to go a different direction. I support him in that. the president has a right to hit a reset button. I think its a good time to hit the reset button. It was something I think the White House needs.”