Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle is in talks with members of the Trump administration to replace Sean Spicer as White House press secretary, The Mercury News reported Tuesday.
Guilfoyle, who co-hosts “The Five” at 9 p.m., told the Bay Area News Group that a “number of people” in the Trump administration have approached her about replacing the embattled Spicer, who was absent from press briefings last week due to his Naval Reserve status.
“I think it’d be a fascinating job,” Guilfoyle said. “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.”
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She made several comments on-air last week about the job, but never mentioned herself as a possibility to replace Spicer.
“If you want to be successful and do communications with President Trump, you have to be someone who he actually wants to spend a little bit of time with,” she said. “You’ve got to insist on getting in front of POTUS, talk to him, and have like five, six minutes with him before you go out there and take the podium, and otherwise you’re driving blind.”
Guilfoyle pointed to her relationship with Trump as a reason why she would excel at Spicer’s position.
“I think I have a very good relationship with the president,” she said. “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.”
Guilfoyle says she has a lot of respect for Spicer and that he would leave big shoes to fill at the White House.
“Sean Spicer is a very nice man and a patriot; he’s dedicated himself to this public service,” Guilfoyle said. “Very tough position he’s in — I wish him the best, and I know he puts a lot of effort into it.”
The White House has
pushed back against speculation that Spicer may be replaced in the face of continuing
reports that the president is considering a major staff shakeup.
Spicer, who has often been parodied on “Saturday Night Live,” was reportedly kept in the dark ahead of Trump’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey last week, because of concerns his communications staff would leak the news, The New York Times reported.
If selected, Guilfoyle would be the first female White House press secretary since fellow Fox contributor Dana Perino, who served as the final chief spokeswoman for then-President George W. Bush.
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