Press secretary Sean Spicer briefed reporters at the White House Wednesday. The most pressing issues discussed include the proposed Republican health care bill, the construction of the border wall and the FBI's investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the election. Here are some highlights from Spicer's comments and statements.
On the revised health care bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act or the ObamaCare, Spicer said that at this point "it is literally impossible" to determine the impact of the new bill on insurance premiums and coverage, but he clarified that preexisting conditions will be covered. Spicer emphasized that President Trump has been giving the reassurance that everyone with a preexisting condition will be covered.
Spicer said that the health care vote will happen "the sooner the better", although he said Trump is not trying to set a date this time. He said that how fast it would proceed and move forward is obviously dependent on the speaker, but what he said he is sure of is that the number of people supporting their revised health care bill "continues to grow."
On the border wall issue, Spicer even displayed photos of the current fencing called levee walls and bollard walls along the border. Spicer said the money in the budget deal will go towards repairing it. He said that the Trump administration is referring to the said budget as a "down payment" on the border wall. The White House press secretary stressed that "The president said he's going to build a wall and he's doing it." He added that it is such a great deal for President Trump.
On the FBI investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the election, he just said: "I think that's the view of the FBI". He said the administration relies on the FBI to give the president with update on what they're learning, but that "it doesn't go that way."
On other matters raised including Ivanka Trump, Spicer stressed anew that Ivanka is an accomplished woman who has built a very successful business. He said that the first daughter and special assistant to the president can very well use her voice to help bring attention to issues.
Spicer also discussed Trump's meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and said the two tackled a range of issues including advancing peace in the Israeli-Palestinian relationship, preventing incitement to violence, efforts to combat terrorism, empowering the Palestinian economy and the huge need to resolve the issue of payments to families of Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails.
Spicer also commented that Trump was merely making things clear as to what exactly happened when he said that FBI director James Comey gave Hillary Clinton a free pass.
