Timing of Sean Spicer's exit allows him to go 'with the least egg on his face'

He has been humiliated and mocked, and repeatedly frustrated and undercut by his own boss. But the hiring of a new White House communications director seems to have been the final straw for Sean Spicer, who announced on Friday he will abandon his post as Donald Trump's press secretary after a tumultuous six-month stint.

ButSpicer'sexit comes as no surprise for those who feltthathis days in the Trump White House were numbered months ago.

"This was the opportune time to go and go with the least egg on his face," Republican strategist Evan Siegfried said.

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Accordingto newsreports,Spicerquit in protest over the hiring of the new director of White House communications,New York financier AnthonyScaramucci, whoSpicerbelieveslacksqualifications for the job.

And whileTrump reportedly asked Spicer to stay on as press secretary, Siegfried believes that the president never gave any serious thought about rejecting his resignation "in any way, shape or form."

Some questioned whetherthe arrival ofScaramucci was Spicer'sso called "red line." Despite all the other scandals and controversiesof the administration, it was the hiring of this manthat meanthe could no longer in good conscience remain on the Trump team.

But his departure was likely a culmination of factors, a mutual decision owing in part tohis tenuous relationship with Trump, who would presenta challenge for any press spokesperson.

Never any great bond

"I don't think there was everany great bond or chemistry between the two, but I think, most importantly, it is just impossible to do communication effectively for Donald Trump," said Gary Nordlinger, of George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management."I don't care who it is."

Spicerentered the White House at a disadvantage, in terms of being welcomed into Trump's inner circle. He was nota Trump loyalist, but part of the so-called Republican establishment, lobbied for by Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus, who had worked with Spicerat the Republican National Committee.

"Theycertainlynever had arelationship where they trusted one another. I would imagine both were frustrated with the other," said Siegfried.

Thatfrustration, at least from Trump's point of view, began with Spicer'sshaky debut, in which he argued with the press about the size of the crowds at Trump's inauguration. The image-conscious Trump would later let it be known that he wasn't happy with Spicer'sperformance or appearance, zeroing in on hissuits in particular.

But Spicer's daily press briefings soon became must-watch television for political observers and casual watchers who previously may have shown littleinterest in politics. Spicer seemed unusually sensitive and prickly, would get irritated quickly by the pressand take a combative stance.

Sean Spicer notable moments

7 years ago

Duration 2:23

A look at Spicer's eventful and, at times, adversarial tenure as press secretary

These testy exchanges did serve togenerate unusually high television ratings. While Trump was reportedly pleased by the numbers, he was less than amusedthat thosesame briefings had made hispress secretary the subject of anunflatteringspoof onSaturdayNight Live.

Overall, however, Trump seemed most frustrated by Spicer'sroleas an advocate and defenderof the president.

"It's very clear thatthe presidentis a president who respondsto peoplewho go on TV and defend him and will stick itto the enemies, and Sean Spicernever really gained that innertrust of Trump," said Siegfried.

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Spicer, too,had his own frustrations.

"He was having severalproblems, one of them was that he was having difficulty taking the president's critiques of his performance all the time," said Michael Tacketta Washington bureau reporter for the New York Times.

Spicer would beforced to go out and sell a message, and then have the president contradict him ineither aseries oftweets or interviews.

For example, Spicersaid thatTrump's ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemenwas not a "travel ban,"only to have Trump latertweet that it was.

As for the firing of FBI Director James Comey,that was based on the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Spicer insisted. Yet in an interview with NBC,Trumpsaidhe had made up his mind to fire Comeybefore the Rosensteinmemo.

"When you have a guy that makes impulsiveand often contradictory statements, how can you be a spokesperson for him and maintain any credibility?" said Nordlinger.

Meanwhile, Spicer's role seemed to be diminishing. The White House had not done a publicpress briefing in weeks, and those were beingdone off camera withSarah Huckabee Sanders, who will be taking over Spicer's role as press secretary.

With the hiring of a new communications director, a role that Spicerhad assumed along with his press secretary duties, it's likely that Spicersaw "the writing on the wall," said Republican strategist Ford O'Connell.

'Not going to be hurting for work'

As Trump's spinmeister, Spicer'scredibility took a significant hit, say some observers. ButSiegfriedand O'Connell agree that In the months ahead, hewill be in high demand. All three major cable news networks will likely offer him tobecome a contributor whilepublishers will pursue him to write a tell-all book.

"Sean Spicer is not going to be hurting for work," Siegfriedsaid. "It's not goingto be a rough landing for him."

A smart move, said Siegfried, would be for Spicer toappear on Saturday Night Live,to show that he has a good sense of humour.

"He is going to have to do some image rehab and that would be part of it."

It's unclear ifSpicer's resignation is an indication of a major White House staff shakeup. But O'Connell said itis a signal to everyone in theWhite House staff that, whatever theirrole, if they are not part of the solution in helping to get legislationpassed through, theycould be next on the chopping block.

"I think this is a lot bigger than Sean Spicer," O'Connell said."It's just thatI think that the presidentfeels that thecommunication team was not carrying its weightin terms of what he wanted to see accomplished."