Sean Spicer Talks 'Tapes,' Sessions Testimony, Travel Ban Ruling In June 12 Press Briefing

WASHINGTON, DC — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer briefed the press on Monday, the first on-air press briefing by the Trump administration since former FBI Director James Comey testified before the Senate Thursday after he was fired by President Trump.

Before Spicer, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta addressed the press, where he discussed Ivanka Trump's program on workplace apprenticeships. The White House has dubbed this week "Workforce Week." Acosta took a few questions from the press before Spicer came to the podium, where he predictably faced questions about former FBI Director James Comey's testimony and was asked once again whether President Trump has tapes of the conversations between him and Comey. Spicer began the briefing by taking a moment to acknowledge the three U.S. service members who were killed in Afghanistan on Saturday.

Spicer was asked repeatedly if the president has tapes, and if he did, why was he leaving the question open rather than saying yes or no. Spicer said Trump's announcement in the Rose Garden on Friday made his intentions clear with regards to the "tapes."

"I’ll tell you about that maybe sometime in the near future,” Trump said Friday during a press conference with the Romanian president. When he was later pressed on this question, he said the answer would be disappointing.

Asked if the president would be willing to testify under oath, Spicer said the president was specifically asked Friday if he would speak to Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Regarding Jeff Sessions' testimony on Tuesday, Spicer said the administration was aware and asked if the Department of Justice had asked permission for Sessions to testify in an open setting, he said he did not know the answer to that question.

Spicer was also asked about the Ninth Circuit ruling, which upheld a temporary injunction of Trump's travel ban. Spicer said the administration was reviewing the decision and these are "very dangerous times" in which the country needs protections. He added that the administration believes the ban is lawful and was confident that it would be upheld by the Supreme Court.

Regarding Puerto Rico's vote for statehood, Spicer said that was a process that would have to work itself out in Congress. Finally, Spicer was asked if the president factored in his personal popularity when planning a state visit, referring to a report in The Guardian that said Trump did not want to visit the U.K. if there were large-scale protests. However, Spicer pushed back on the report and said Her Majesty The Queen had extended an invitation to Trump and he had accepted. He said the administration would let the public know when a schedule for the visit had been worked out.

Spicer also announced that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the White House on June 26.

Watch a replay of the briefing below:

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