Sean Spicer justifies Trump’s tweet against Nordstrom

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was quick to back up US President Donald Trump's social media rant against Seattle-based retailer Nordstrom. Spicer justified his boss’ tweet, saying it is the president’s right as a father to stand up for his family and applaud their business activities and success.

Spicer said Trump was only responding to “an attack on his daughter.” Spicer thinks that when it comes to his family, Trump has been very clear of how he supports them.

“And for someone to take out their concern with his policies on a family member of his is just, is not acceptable. And the president has every right, as a father, to stand up for them,” Spicer told reporters during his daily press briefing on Feb. 8.

There were reports that the president was in a security briefing when he sent the tweet. The press secretary has debunked this issue, saying Trump has used his free time to send the tweet.

Trump has tweeted his dismay on Wednesday following reports that Nordstrom has opted to drop his daughter Ivanka’s clothing and accessory line. “My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person — always pushing me to do the right thing,” the president tweeted.

Spicer also believes that Nordstrom's decision to drop Ivanka’s clothing and accessories line is a way of attacking the administration’s policy, particularly Trump’s executive order on immigration that bans citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. He said the attack affects the first daughter because the brand still carries her name. “There are clearly efforts to undermine that name based on her father's positions on particular policies that he's taken,” Spicer said.

But Nordstrom said its decision to drop Ivanka’s accessory and clothing line was due to the brand’s performance. “Over the past year, and particularly in the last half of 2016, sales of the brand have steadily declined to the point where it didn't make good business sense for us to continue with the line for now," the store chain said on a statement.

Trump’s tweet against Nordstrom has earned negative criticism from US House of Representatives' minority leader Nancy Pelosi and general counsel of the Campaign Legal Center Lawrence M Noble among others. “I think it's inappropriate, but he's a totally inappropriate president, so it's totally in keeping with who he is," Pelosi said. Noble agreed, saying it is a “total misuse of presidential power.”