White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Tuesday that the press would see “a Russian connection” if President Donald Trump “puts Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight.”
“How does this administration try to revamp its image, two and a half months in?” American Urban Radio Networks reporter April Ryan asked Spicer during his daily briefing.
She cited a report by the Washington Post that the Trump administration attempted to block former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates from testifying in a House Intelligence Committee open hearing. The White House on Tuesday denied that it had attempted to block her testimony.
“You’ve got the Yates story today, you’ve got other things going on, you’ve got Russia, you’ve got wiretapping,” Ryan said.
“No, we don’t have that,” Spicer replied.
“You have investigations on Capitol Hill,” Ryan began.
“No, no, I get it. But you keep — I’ve said it from the day that I got here until whatever, that there is no connection. You’ve got Russia,” Spicer interrupted. “If the President puts Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight somehow that’s a Russian connection.”
He accused Ryan of having an “agenda.”
“Oh, hold on. At some point report the facts,” Spicer said. “The facts are that every single person who has been briefed on this subject has come away with the same conclusion, Republican, Democrat, so I’m sorry that that disgusts you. You’re shaking your head.”
He said that “every single person” who has been briefed on the “situation with Russia” has reached the same conclusion, though he did not specify what that might be.
“At some point, April, you’re going to have to take no for an answer with respect to whether or not there is collusion,” Spicer said.
Ryan pointed out that her question was about how Trump’s administration plans to “change the perception” resulting from those investigations and reports.
Spicer replied: “We’re going to keep doing everything we’re doing.”
