White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders congratulated the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama for making the national college championship game at Tuesday’s press briefing.
Sanders noted that both teams were “deep in the heart of Trump country” referencing the two state’s overwhelming votes for President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Alabama, however, elected Democrat Doug Jones over Trump’s endorsed candidate Roy Moore in the recent Senate special election to fill the seat of Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Sander’s characterization brought pushback from NBC News’ White House correspondent Peter Alexander.
“Does the president see the country as Trump country and the rest of the country?”
The press secretary smiled glibly noting that she was “simply making congratulating two great football teams in the greatest conference in the country.”
“I’m sure all of which you will all agree with,” Sanders added in a reference to her Arkansas heritage. “Even those of you who don’t live in one of those lucky states.”