The White House’s press secretary vacancy won’t necessarily keep the briefing room closed.
President Donald Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, told Semafor that the next briefing would come “soon” — but if it happens before the midterms, a new press secretary likely won’t be behind the podium.
Trump is in no rush to name a replacement after Katie Zacharia’s abrupt exit, and one person familiar with the situation said a new pick will “definitely not” be named before the election.
Trump is his own best messenger, as his advisers see it, and he’s traveling aggressively in a bid to boost Republicans. Trump and “his team are focused on the midterm elections,” Cheung added.
The haziness surrounding press strategy comes as the White House continues to spar with the media, threatening legal action against Politico over its reporting on chief of staff Susie Wiles. Politico issued a correction to one article but defended its other reporting.