Spicer said to stick with plan to leave Trump Administration

[WASHINGTON] Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who resigned after President Donald Trump hired Anthony Scaramucci, won't return to the administration job even though Mr Scaramucci has departed, a White House official said.

Mr Spicer, 45, is sticking to his plan to leave at the end of August, according to the official, who asked for anonymity to discuss personnel matters. He had resigned July 21, the same day that Mr Scaramucci debuted as White House communications director.

Mr Scaramucci later forced out chief of staff Reince Priebus, a Spicer ally, only to be fired by the new White House chief of staff, retired Marine Corps general John Kelly.

He has continued to steer the communications team, and will remain as the de-facto communications director until late August as he planned before Mr Scaramucci was fired.

The former press secretary, who became a household name after being lampooned on Saturday Night Live, was spotted last week by social media users in New York City leaving the headquarters of a number of media organisations.

He's also joked to reporters about a story in the New York Post indicating he was under consideration for the next season of "Dancing With the Stars".

But Mr Spicer hasn't escaped controversy even since announcing his departure. On Tuesday, Mr Spicer admitted to meeting with a Republican donor who has forwarded an unsubstantiated conspiracy theory surrounding the circumstances behind the murder of Democratic National Committee staff member.

Mr Spicer had said that he was unaware of the story when asked about it by reporters.

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