“We’re Going To Hold The Press Accountable,” Sean Spicer Says
In a chilling news conference, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer blasted the media on Saturday for what he said were inaccurate reports about the size of the crowd at President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Speaking from the White House briefing room for the first time, Spicer claimed the many photographs indicating the crowd was significantly smaller than at President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration were intentionally framed to deceive people.Â
“This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe,” Spicer said. “These attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration are shameful and wrong.”Â
Spicer went on to say that Trump is committed to unifying the nation.Â
“This kind of dishonesty in the media … is making it more difficult,” he said. “There’s been a lot of talk in the media about the responsibility to hold Donald Trump accountable. I’m here to tell you that it goes two ways. We’re going to hold the press accounatable as well.”
Spicer also attacked Time magazine’s Zeke Miller, a White House pool reporter, over an inaccurate tweet Friday suggesting that a bust of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been removed from the Oval Office. Miller quickly corrected his report and profusely apologized for it — an apology that Spicer accepted (above). But that didn’t stop Spicer from ripping into Miller on Saturday, apparently at Trump’s behest, calling him “irresponsible and reckless.” Â
Spicer refused to take any questions. Video above, and reactions from Twitter below.Â