DUBAI: White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer angered many on Tuesday by claiming that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons against his own people in the same way Syria’s Bashar Al Assad allegedly has.
Media pundits, Twitter users and international organizations were quick to slam the press secretary who is no stranger to controversial statements and eyebrow-raising gaffes.
Read on for his most ridiculed and widely slammed moments on stage.
Hitler vs. Assad
On Tuesday, Spicer said: “We didn’t use chemical weapons in World War II. You had a — someone who is as despicable as Hitler who didn’t even use chemical weapons. You have to, if you’re Russia, ask yourself, is this a country and regime you want to align yourself with?“
Spicer quickly clarified that he meant Hitler did not use “gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing,” adding that Hitler took his victims to a “Holocaust center.”
However, the damage was done and there have been subsequent calls for Spicer to be removed from his post. The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, a human rights organization named after the victim of a Jewish concentration camp, demanded Spicer be fired.
Dictionary.com even tweeted a correction of Spicer’s statement.
Gas chamber: an enclosure used for the execution of prisoners by means of a poisonous gas. https://t.co/iL6U45ErX5 https://t.co/CrvFK8brpg
— Dictionary.com (@Dictionarycom) April 11, 2017
Scolding an African-American reporter
During a March 28 press briefing, White House reporter April D. Ryan asked Spicer a question about the Trump administration’s alleged ties to Russia.
Spicer brushed off the question and told Ryan: “Stop shaking your head again,”
Here's Sean Spicer telling April Ryan not to shake her head. pic.twitter.com/ojHnkt7MVW
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) March 28, 2017
The fiery exchange made headlines and led to a flurry of jokes on Twitter, comparing Spicer’s treatment of the press to a schoolteacher’s relationship with nursery children.
Sean Spicer treats the WH press corps like a bunch of kindergarteners pic.twitter.com/skjUKe4lJK
— Mдтт Иegяiи (@MattNegrin) April 5, 2017
Spicer talks to the press with spinach in his teeth
On March 27, Spicer gave a press briefing with green residue stuck in his bottom teeth and the Internet did not fail to notice.
@robhuebel Hypocrisy. Sean Spicer's teeth are absolutely a Sanctuary City for kale and other leafy greens. Sad! pic.twitter.com/KYdev1HkJU
— Gene Priest (@GenePriest) March 27, 2017
Spicer endorses a satirical Onion article
Early this year, Spicer retweeted an Onion piece mocking him.
The satirical website posted a feature that promised Spicer would “provide the American public with robust and clearly articulated misinformation.”
Spicer tweeted: ““You nailed it. Period!“
Did he tweet his Twitter password?
In late January, Internet users speculated that he may have accidentally tweeted out his Twitter password.
Everything. Is. Fine. pic.twitter.com/YCthWnTnEX
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 26, 2017
