Although Sean Spicer often lied outright during his tenure as the first of former President Donald Trump's string of White House press secretaries, he looked like he couldn't stomach perhaps Trump's biggest lie during a recent Newsmax interview.
Spicer appeared visibly uncomfortable when Trump began ranting about the 2020 general election, further elevating his "Big Lie," despite all evidence to the contrary, that the election was stolen.
You can see what happened in the video below.
this guy's 2024 campaign is going to be so bleakpic.twitter.com/hH6PYZtNBi— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1631658193
Adding that "our country has gone really downhill in the last eight months like nobody's ever seen before," Trump claimed, without offering actual proof, that the country will end entirely.
That was when he, inevitably, suggested that the election had been rigged against him:
"And you go to these elections coming up in '22 and '24 — we're not going to have a country left. The election was rigged, and we're not going to have a country left in three years, I'll tell you that."
It was then when Spicer chose to cut the interview short, thanking the former President for being "very generous" with his time.
But Spicer did try to salvage the proceedings and decided to ask Trump about his future campaign plans.
Asked by Spicer whether he'd "made up" his mind about running for office again, Trump said:
"I will probably not comment on that, but I tell you, I think you will be very happy, Sean."
"I think you and a lot of other people who love our country are going to be very happy."
"I mean, I could make it soon, but you know, that gets complicated, but you are going to be extremely happy, and this country is going to come back again."
"We are a laughing stock all over the world. What happened in Afghanistan, what's happening at our border, where millions of people are coming in [and] we have no idea who they are."
The whole situation, as social media users noted, was quite awkward.
That looked a little too spicy for Sean. \nI'm a laugh riot! \nI'll go now. https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1437904799085830146\u00a0\u2026— KLWags\ud83d\ude18 (@KLWags\ud83d\ude18) 1631676012
Spicey Spice sitting idly while Trump declares that "we're not going to have a country left in 3 years"\n\nGuessing there was not a bush nearby that Spicey could jump and hide behind?https://twitter.com/i/status/1437904799085830146\u00a0\u2026— DrawOutsideTheLines (@DrawOutsideTheLines) 1631671946
Spicer trying to get him off the phone is hilarious..."you've been very generous with your time"— Wendy Wineberg (@Wendy Wineberg) 1631659004
"You've been very generous with your time"\n\nI'm guessing if he wasn't on the line he'd be sitting watching the broadcast saying the same things out loud to himself.— Currahee \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2 (@Currahee \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf2) 1631658521
Trump's claims were immediately criticized.
What an inarticulate ignorant clown and the losers that give him air time @realdonaldtrump #trumplost #assclown @seanspicerhttps://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1437904799085830146\u00a0\u2026— mjsoup29 (@mjsoup29) 1631679641
"Were not gonna have a country left." The second most delusional thing he said in this clip.https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1437904799085830146\u00a0\u2026— Caleb Kamplain (@Caleb Kamplain) 1631678588
I understand we have freedom of speech, but when is this POS going to be held accountable for HIS LIES that are destroying this country??!! When?! Man, WHITE PRIVILEGE is something powerful man. I can\u2019t believe this disgusting excuse for a human can still talk like this after 1/6https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1437904799085830146\u00a0\u2026— Hope (@Hope) 1631675547
The fact that this man, a former POTUS, is still out there saying that our election was rigged is a fucking disgrace. It's an embarrassment that these soulless ghouls continue to give him a platform.https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1437904799085830146\u00a0\u2026— Mike Brand (@Mike Brand) 1631672124
His \u201cpredictions\u201d are threats.https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1437904799085830146\u00a0\u2026— Amanda Marcotte (@Amanda Marcotte) 1631670271
So why did Spicer change the subject?
It might be because Newsmax is already facing a lawsuit over past aired false statements about the 2020 election.
Last month, Dominion Voting Systems sued Newsmax Media Inc. and Herring Networks Inc.'s One America News Network, arguing they defamed Dominion by launching accusations the voting machine company rigged the 2020 election in favor of President Joe Biden.