Sean Spicer says he regrets making assertions about Trump's inauguration crowd size during his first briefing as press secretary

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said he regretted how he handled his first briefing, during which he made assertions about the size of President Donald Trump's inauguration crowd earlier this year.

During his unofficial first press conference, Spicer did not take questions, instead saying the administration would "hold the press accountable," and contending falsely that the January inauguration was the "largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in-person and around the globe."

In an interview with The New York Times published on Monday, the former press secretary said he regretted berating reporters who pressed him about his assertions about the crowd.

"Of course I do, absolutely," Spicer said.

The interview came just a day after Spicer joked about the crowd size onstage at the Emmy awards, garnering some applause from the audience and criticism for many who pointed out that Spicer still has not acknowledged that his crowd size claims were inaccurate.

The former press secretary has been on an image rehabilitation tour, sitting for interviews with comedians like Jimmy Kimmel, and embarking on the speaker's circuit.

Spicer told the Times that his appearance at the Emmys was an "attempt to poke a little fun at myself and add a little bit of levity to the event."

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