Trump Says He Told Sarah Huckabee Sanders ‘Not to Bother’ With Press Briefings

By Ted Johnson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he told Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders “not to bother” with press briefings, once a staple of media coverage of the White House that have instead become a rarity.

Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning, “the reason Sarah Sanders does not go to the ‘podium’ much anymore is that the press covers her so rudely & inaccurately, in particular certain members of the press. I told her not to bother, the word gets out anyway! Most will never cover us fairly & hence, the term, Fake News!”

Sanders’ last press briefing was on Dec. 18. Instead, she has been giving informal briefings just outside the briefing room, as have other administration officials such as Kellyanne Conway. Trump himself also routinely answers questions from the press, often as he is about to board his helicopter on the South Lawn, or at the end of “pool sprays,” or short instances when a team of reporters is allowed to observe and take photos of a presidential meeting or event.

According to ABC News, this is the longest period of time that the Trump White House has gone without an official briefing.

In December, Sanders told Variety that “we have one of the most accessible administrations and presidents in modern history. President Trump regularly engages with the media and any time the American people can hear directly from him that’s a great thing.”