Blinken said spent about two hoursの関係代名詞

ﾆｭｰｽの下記文章で教えて下さい。
Blinken said spent about two hours with the President and his team, and called it a "very productive and in many ways meaningful day."
said spentはsaid that he spentの省略と思いますが、記事の方がスマートな気がします。この省略は話す時も書く時も使用して良いでしょうか。