WASHINGTON: Donald Trump is planning to do “many big things” after being sworn in as president, his communications director said Sunday, adding that his boss has no intention to stop using Twitter.
Asked by ABC News what “one big thing” the public should expect from the president-elect once he takes office on January 20, spokesman Sean Spicer replied: “It’s going to be not one big thing. It’s going to be many big things.”
Spicer said the Republican billionaire would immediately sign a series of executive orders to “repeal a lot of the regulations and actions that have been taken by this administration over the last eight years that have hampered both economic growth and job creation.”
He also confirmed that Trump would institute a five-year ban on senior officials leaving government to become lobbyists, and a lifetime ban “on anyone who wants to serve a foreign government.”
When ABC interviewer Jonathan Karl asked whether Trump would continue his highly unusual — and deeply controversial — approach of making major policy statements over Twitter, Spicer replied, “Sure, why not.”
“With all due respect,” he continued, “I think it freaks the mainstream media out that he has this following of over 45-plus million people that follow him on social media, that he can have a direct conversation.”
Spicer added: “Business as usual is over… There’s a new sheriff in town.”
Karl asked Spicer repeatedly whether Trump might reverse President Barack Obama’s steps — including the expulsion of 35 Russian agents — aimed at punishing Moscow for interfering in the US election.
While suggesting that Obama’s action might have been “political retribution” and thus too harsh, Spicer would only say that Trump would delay any decision until he receives an intelligence briefing on the matter.
The president-elect, still working to fill out his new administration, was to return Sunday from his Florida resort to his Trump Tower apartment in Manhattan.
