Donald Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to step down as president urges her to run for governor like her dad
DONALD Trump’s press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will leave the White House at the end of the month, it was announced tonight.
The president urged Sanders to follow in her dad’s footsteps to run for Arkansas governor – as he praised her as a “very special person”.
Sanders’ departure came about two months after special counsel Robert Mueller’s report that said she lied to reporters in 2017 over Trump’s firing of FBI boss James Comey.
A fierce White House loyalist, 36-year-old Sanders evolved into one of the president’s closest advisers.
At a White House event discussing prisoners featuring Kim Kardashian tonight, President Trump invited Sanders to the podium after describing her as a “warrior”.
He said: “We’ve been through a lot together, and she’s tough, but she’s good.”
I’ve loved every minute, even the hard minutes
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
An emotional Sanders embraced the president and said: “I’ve loved every minute, even the hard minutes.”
The mum-of-three added: “I have three amazing kids and I’m going to spend a little more time with them.”
Sanders earlier tweeted: “I am blessed and forever grateful to @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to serve and proud of everything he’s accomplished.
“I love the President and my job.
“The most important job I’ll ever have is being a mom to my kids and it’s time for us to go home.
“Thank you Mr. President!”
COULD RUN FOR GOVERNOR
Speculation immediately turned to whether Sanders might run for governor of Arkansas.
Trump said: “If we can get her to run for the governor of Arkansas, I think she’ll do very well.”
And announcing her departure on Twitter earlier, Trump wrote: “I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas – she would be fantastic.”
The position was once held by her father Mike Huckabee – who tweeted about his pride in his daughter.
With a jibe at the president’s media critics, Mr Huckabee wrote: “Well, @realDonaldTrump is losing @PressSec who is a great one and I say that with as much objectivity as Fake News CNN has toward @POTUS.”
Sanders has drawn fire from the White House Correspondents Association for ending daily press briefings.
Trump prefers to take questions himself from reporters and command the White House stage.
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The last briefing was 94 days ago – but Trump answers questions from reporters on a near-daily basis.
Sanders succeeded Sean Spicer – Trump’s first press secretary – in mid-2017.
Her replacement was not immediately announced tonight.
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