White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigns

WASHINGTON - White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned Friday, shortly after US President Donald Trump appointed New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as the new White House communications director.

Spicer stepped down after telling President Trump he strongly disagreed with the appointment of Scaramucci, US media outlets reported.

The New York Times said Trump had asked Spicer to stay on but Spicer believed that hiring Scaramucci was a major mistake.

Should Spicer have stayed on, he would have worked under Scaramucci.

"It's been an honor & a privilege to serve @POTUS @realDonaldTrump & this amazing country," Spicer tweeted after the multiple US news outlets broke the news of his abrupt resignation.

"I will continue my service through August," Spicer said.

Spicer has been a controversial figure in the White House since he started his early press briefings with a confrontational manner toward journalists.

Spicer was also known for giving the cold shoulder to the traditional mainstream media and calling on previously lesser known outlets more often.

The rocky start with the press have led to mockery and criticism from the media and spurred rumors of his possible departure just weeks entering the new administration.

Spicer, 45, has served as the communications director of the Republican National Committee. He was brought into the White House by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus after Trump was elected president.

Scaramucci, 53, is a US political figure and financier who have taken jobs in various banks and other financial institutions.

He was previously involved in a story released by CNN, which linked him to a Russian investment fund. CNN later retracted the story citing unmet editorial standards.

Scaramucci is set to fill in the position vacated by the previous communications director Mike Dubke in early June.