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In First Briefing, Trump's Press Secretary Pledges Not to Lie

Patsy Widakuswara

   WASHINGTON - Recently appointed White House press secretary Kayleigh
   McEnany gave her first briefing Friday, pledging to reporters that she
   would tell the truth.

   "I will never lie to you. You have my word on that," McEnany
   said,responding to a reporter's question. She said she planned to
   continuethebriefings andofferedassurances that she has full access to
   the president.

   "I'm around the president almost the entire day," McEnanysaid. "I'm
   consistently with him, absorbing his thinking,and it's my mission to
   bring you the mindset of the president, deliver those facts so this
   president gets fair and accurate reporting and the American people get
   fair and accurate information."

   In her briefing,McEnany covered a wide range of issues mostly related
   to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the president's claims that he has
   seen evidence proving the new coronavirus originated in a Chinese lab,
   as he threatened tariffs on Beijing over its role in the global
   pandemic.

   "I won't get ahead of any announcements from thepresident,but I will
   echo the president's displeasure with China," McEnany said, pushing
   back questioning that Trump's assertion was undermined by his own
   intelligence.

   The Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Secretary of
   State Mike Pompeo havesaidthe U.S. does not know precisely where the
   virus began.

   "Intelligence is just an estimate, essentially, and it's up to
   policymakers to decide what to do with that intelligence," she added.

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