Mere days after a New York Times report named The Five co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle as a possible replacement for Sean Spicer as Donald Trump’s White House Press Secretary, the Fox News personality seemingly confirmed the news. According to the Mercury News of San Jose, California, Guilfoyle — a previous contender for the role before Spicer got it — refrained from offering details, but did acknowledge she was in contact with several Trump administration officials who “raised” the possibility in recent talks.
In the interview, which Mercury News conducted with the former Bay Area resident before Monday’s episode of The Five, Guilfoyle says she “[has] a very good relationship with the president.” Illustrating the point further, she adds, “I think I enjoy a very straightforward and authentic, very genuine relationship, one that’s built on trust and integrity, and I think that’s imperative for success in that position.” That, she continues, and patriotism:
“I’m a patriot, and it would be an honor to serve the country,” Guilfoyle said. “I think it’d be a fascinating job, it’s a challenging job, and you need someone really determined and focused, a great communicator in there with deep knowledge to be able to handle that position.”
If Guilfoyle’s apparent confirmation of what the Times described as Trump’s “broad shakeup” weren’t enough, she goes on to praise Spicer as a “very nice man and a patriot.” She also, believe it or not, delivers what sounds an awful like a cushy, public relations-speak send-off for the embattled press secretary: “Very tough position he’s in — I wish him the best, and I know he puts a lot of effort into it.”
As of this writing, neither Fox News nor the White House have officially commented upon Guilfoyle’s remarks. As the Washington Post‘s Aaron Blake noted on Twitter, however, Spicer’s potential replacement recently started following several official social media accounts run by federal agencies.
https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/864487315296710656
Let the Saturday Night Live casting speculation begin!
UPDATE: A Fox News spokesperson emailed to say, “Kimberly is a valued member of the FOX News primetime lineup, and is under a long-term contract with the network.” And Guilfoyle, through a spokesperson, added, “As I stated in the interview, I really love what I do and my job co-hosting The Five is tough to beat.”
(Via Mercury News)