Raj Shah to give debut official WH press briefing

Washington D.C. [United States], Feb 8 (ANI): White House Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah will substitute Sarah Huckabee Sanders and will give his first official White House briefing to the media.

Shah will step in for press secretary Sarah Sanders behind the podium in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

The 32-year-old Shah will make his daily press briefing debut, reported the Hill.

The move develops as derogatory comments Shah reportedly made about President Trump in the wake of the "Access Hollywood" controversy during the 2016 election surfaced on Monday.

The tape, uncovered during the 2016 campaign, includes audio of President Trump in 2005 bragging to then-"Access Hollywood" correspondent Billy Bush about being able to grope women due to his celebrity status.

According to the reports, while at the Republican National Committee, Shah reportedly emailed researcher Andrew Hemming, writing: "u wanna hear something a little fucked up?"

"I'm kinda enjoying this, some justice. I honestly don't think it's the worst thing he's done but he somehow got passes for the other acts," he added, "Trump is a deplorable."

Meanwhile, the White House communications director Hope Hicks wrote in a statement. "Raj's skills as a press secretary are only surpassed by his stellar character." (ANI)