White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci didn’t even last a full month on the job before he was able to tack on “former” in front of the title.
At the behest of White House Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly, President Donald Trump fired the former Wall Street financier. The move was the first of what is likely to be a very high-profile “cleaning of house” in the West Wing. The move happened just within the past hour, and no official announcement has been made by the president or the White House.
Last week, shortly after he was hired, the communications director had become embroiled in a behind-the-scenes fight with other members of the president’s so-called “inner circle” over leaks to the liberal mainstream media. That tussle resulted in the firing Friday of Reince Priebus as White House Chief of Staff, and ultimately, Kelly’s selection to replace him.
Then came the profanity-laced tirade that appeared in the media, and shortly thereafter, reports about his impending divorce. Both of those elicited combative responses, which perhaps suggested little would change despite the changes in personnel. A number of evangelical leaders were critical of Scaramucci and demanded he be fired.
It’s not yet clear what was the final tipping stone. Additionally, it’s unclear what, if any, role Scaramucci might have with the administration in the future.
Following the breaking news, the White House issued the following statement:
Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House Communications Director. Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team. We wish him all the best.
