Sean Spicer Blasts Media Coverage Of Trump Over 'Fake News'

WASHINGTON, DC — After a long break away from the lectern, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer delivered a televised briefing for reporters Tuesday afternoon, answering questions about President Trump's recent foreign trip and reports related to the Russia investigation. He also repeatedly criticized the media over its coverage of the president.

Following Trump's first major international trip in office, many critics have blasted the president's choice to be conciliatory with autocratic regimes such as Saudi Arabia while criticizing our close ideological allies in Europe. Additional questions continue to hang over the White House regarding the FBI's investigation into Russia and the Trump campaign, which multiple reports suggest is now focused on Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner. Kushner allegedly tried to set up a secret line of communication with Moscow during the presidential transition. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Other rumors suggest Trump is considering a major White House staff shakeup, one that possibly includes demoting or removing Spicer. Early Tuesday, the White House confirmed that Communications Director Michael Dubke would be leaving his job.

"I want to thank Mike Dubke for his service to President Trump and this administration," White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said in a statement. "We appreciate Mike and are very grateful for his service to President Trump and our country. Mike tendered his resignation just before the President's historic international trip and offered to remain onboard until a transition is concluded. Mike will assist with the transition and be a strong advocate for the President and the President's policies moving forward."

When asked if this move meant Trump was dissatisfied with his message, Spicer said, "The best messenger is the president himself." Some reports have suggested that the press briefings are going to be scaled back.

Asked about whether Trump knew about the alleged back-channel communication Kushner set up, Spicer denied that the efforts to put up the back channel took place. Spicer threw doubt on the report because it relied on a anonymous sources, but a reporter pointed out that the president retweeted a Fox News article on the story that also relied on anonymous sources. At the same time, he noted that National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly believe that back channels are an appropriate avenue for negotiations.

However, he did not deny the story about Kushner's back channel. He also did not answer questions about why it would be appropriate for Kushner to set up this line of communication when he was not a government official.

On the topic of Trump's praise for Philippine President Duterte, who has been accused of brutal extrajudicial killings of people in the name of reducing drug trafficking, Spicer said Trump is very opposed to drugs but also cares about human rights.

Spicer said the relationship between Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been "fairly unbelievable." He denied the characterization of Merkel's recent comments as saying that Europe can no longer rely on the United States, emphasizing instead her comments about the need to share the burden of defense.

In response to a question about the amount of "blood and treasure" the president is willing to spend in Afghanistan, Spicer said Trump is committed to defeating ISIS and Al Qaeda.

Watch a replay of the briefing here.

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Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty News Images