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Trump: Spicer Is 'Wonderful Person' Whose 'Future Is Bright'

WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork) -- Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be taking over as White House press secretary after Sean Spicer announced his resignation.

"I will cherish and hope to do my very best every single day and be as open, honest, and transparent with you all as humanly possible," Huckabee Sanders said.

Spicer served as press secretary for the first six months of the Trump administration.

"It's been an honor & a privilege to serve & this amazing country," Spicer tweeted Friday. "I will continue my service through August."

"I am grateful for Sean's work on behalf of my administration and the American people," President Donald Trump said in a statement read by Sanders at a press briefing Friday. "I wish him continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities, just look at his great television ratings."

Later Friday night, Spicer appeared on Fox News Channel's "Hannity," saying Trump wanted him to stay on, but he decided it was time to go, CBS2's Andrea Grymes reported.

"I just thought it was in the best interest of our communications department, of our press organization not to have too many cooks in the kitchen," he said.

Trump also tweeted, "Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright."

It's no secret the president has taken issue with Spicer's performance at the podium from day one, CBS2's Dick Brennan reported. His sometimes combative style even triggered a parody on "Saturday Night Live."

The decision comes after Trump named New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.

"Anthony is a person I have great respect for and he will be an important addition to this administration," Trump said in a statement. "He's been a great supporter and will now help implement key aspects of our agenda while leading the communications team. We have accomplished so much and we are being given credit for so little. The good news is the people get it even if the media doesn't."

He's a Long Island guy who grew up middle class in Port Washington, later lived in Manhasset and had a 29-year career on Wall Street, Brennan reported. He went to Tufts University and Harvard Law.

While addressing reporters for the first time from the White House, Scaramucci called Spicer a "true American patriot" and said he hopes he "goes on to make a tremendous amount of money." 

Speaking about the president, Scaramucci added, "he's done a phenomenal job with the American people and the people I grew up with. They so identify with the president and they love him."

He wasn't always a Trump supporter, though, Brennan reported. In 2015, he called him a hack politician -- something he says the president has never forgotten. 

"He brings it up every 15 seconds. One of the biggest mistakes I made. I was an inexperienced person in the world of politics. I was quoting another candidate," Scaramucci said. "So, Mr. President, if you're listening, I personally apologize for the 50th time for saying it."

Earlier, CBS News' Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett reported that Scaramucci's hiring was a factor in Spicer's resignation, but Scaramucci denied that there's any friction between the two of them. 

"I would love to have Sean here, Sean decided that he thought it would be better to go," Scaramucci said. "But I don't have any friction with Sean... This is the White House in the United States of America and we're serving the president and I want to make sure our cultural template is that we put the president's agenda first which is perfect for the American people and we serve his interests."

Scaramucci, who was a critical player in the Trump transition team, was also asked whether he was disappointed about not initially landing a post in the Trump administration.

"Was I disappointed? Yes, but I love the president, and I'm very, very loyal to the president, and I love the mission that the president has," he said.

Steve Bannon, the president's chief strategist, reportedly had strong objections to Scaramucci's selection, but the new communications director said he plans to work well with Bannon, and has a lot of respect for him, CBS News reported.

Scaramucci described his relationship with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus as a brotherly one in which they rough each other up but are good friends, Brennan reported.

The chief of staff portrayed a unified front late Friday night.

"When I first came into the RNC, Anthony was one of our regional finance chairmen. So obviously we've done a lot of things together," he said on "Hannity."

One of the big issues the communications team is dealing with is the Russia probe.

The Washington Post reported Friday night that during the 2016 election, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions did speak with the Russian ambassador about the Trump campaign. A spokesperson for Sessions denied the report.

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