Outgoing White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus continued to defend President Donald Trump after news broke of his resignation Friday, saying the president “had a right to hit the reset button.”
Priebus decided to go on CNN for his first interview hours after Trump announced he was being replaced. The networks anchor Wolf Blitzer pressed Priebus about the details of his resignation. Blitzer asked Priebus if he made up his mind, asking him if he felt he could no longer handle this position.
“Was there as series of issues or was there one thing that came up and you decided, you know what, I no longer can do this,” Blitzer asked.
“No, look, I think the president wanted to go a different direction,” Priebus said. “I support him in that and like I said a couple weeks ago … the president has a right to change directions, the president has a right to hit a reset button, I think it’s a good time to hit the reset button. I think the he was right to hit the reset button.”
Priebus continued: “I think that it was something I think the White House needs. I think it’s healthy, and I support him in it.”
WATCH:
Reince Priebus: I think the President wanted to go in a different direction, he has a right to hit a reset button https://t.co/QMN6DDihwO
— The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) July 28, 2017
Priebus said he hopes his replacement, current Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly can “get to the bottom” of leaks coming out of the White House. “I think that Gen. Kelly should see if he can get to the bottom of it and figure it out, but obviously unnamed sources are something that has been problematic and I wish him well, and I’m going to try to help him,” he said.
President Donald Trump announced Friday that Kelly will be his new chief of staff. (RELATED: Trump Names John Kelly As New Chief Of Staff)
“I am pleased to inform you that I have just named General/Secretary John F Kelly as White House Chief of Staff. He is a Great American….,” Trump tweeted about the former Marine Corps general. “John has also done a spectacular job at Homeland Security. He has been a true star of my Administration.”
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