President Trump’s entourage to Vatican City, Wednesday included his wife Melania, his daughter Ivanka, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and other White House staff but did not include White House press secretary Sean Spicer—a staunch Catholic.
The White House had agreed with the Vatican on limiting the number of staff who would attend the meeting. Politico reports senior communications aide from the White House, Hope Hicks, was introduced to the Pope by Trump as his long time staff.
Spicer’s absence at the Holy See has caused some uproar from some White House correspondents and members of the press pool who think it’s a pretty “petty” move by the administration.
This seems needlessly harsh – when else is Spicer likely to meet the Pope, and it mattered to him? https://t.co/jUtcTW8wbg
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 24, 2017
That planners of this trip couldn't or wouldn't get @seanspicer into the Vatican speaks to a small-mindedness I find incredibly depressing.
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) May 24, 2017
CNN reported that Spicer was “eagerly anticipating the meeting” with the Pope.
Spicer who is very open about being a devoted Catholic even got slammed on Twitter when he showed up on television with Ash on his forehead on Ash Wednesday.
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