Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Friday that he would not return to the job even if President Donald Trump asked him, now that Sarah Huckabee Sanders is leaving at the end of the month.
"No, no, no," Spicer, who served in the job eight months, told Hallie Jackson on MSNBC. "I told the president many times that I was honored to do it, but I am much more happy and relaxed and less stressed now."
Trump said on Twitter on Thursday that Sanders was returning to her native Arkansas, three and a half years after she succeeded Spicer in the post. The president has not named a replacement.
Sanders, 36, whose father is former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, was one of the few remaining staffers who worked on President Trump's campaign.
Her tenure was marked by a breakdown in regular White House press briefings and questions about the administration's credibility.
Spicer, 47, now senior adviser of America First Action super PAC, told Jackson that — while he supported regular press briefings — they eventually had degenerated into a "food fest" provided little benefit.
"I don't think they served the American people well and I don't think they served journalism well — and they were a great use of the press staff's time," he said.
However, Spicer added, "I think the briefing does serve a utility.
"Does it need to occur every day? No. Should there be regular briefings? Sure.
"The question comes down to, do they need to be daily? Is the staff available to folks in the media like yourself and your colleagues?
"The answer has always been yes."