Just 10 days into the job, Anonthy Scaramucci is no longer the White House communications director, the Trump administration has confirmed.
The New York Times first reported that Scaramucci had been asked to step down from the Trump administration’s top communications role, although it is not clear whether he is leaving the White House entirely.
Politico quickly confirmed Scaramucci’s ouster. The move is believed to be part of newly appointed Chief of Staff John Kelly‘s efforts to bring order to a tumultuous White House, according to unnamed officials who spoke to Politico. Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, formally began his new White House role on Monday morning.
In a statement, the White House said Scaramucci left on behalf of Kelly. “Mr. Scaramucci felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team,” the White House said.
To say Scaramucci created waves during his brief tenure would be an understatement. Sean Spicer resigned as White House press secretary in protest of Scaramucci’s appointment on July 21. Just days later, he vowed to “fire everybody” on his staff to weed out leakers.
Scaramucci then accused Trump’s former chief of staff, Reince Priebus, of leaking information to reporters in a tweet (which he later deleted). The following morning, he called into CNN and proceeded to further condemn Priebus during a 30-minute interview with the cable news giant. A few hours later, the New Yorker published an interview with Scaramucci during which the then-communications director trashed many of his colleagues, including Priebus and Trump adviser Steve Bannon, in a profanity-filled diatribe.
Priebus resigned on Thursday evening, and Trump announced Kelly’s appointment on Friday.
Although Spicer announced his resignation, he had not technically left the White House payroll. In a potential Shakspearian turn, many immediately speculated that the former press secretary will return to fill the communications director role vacated by Scaramucci. Asked whether this was the case, Spicer, smiling, refused to comment.
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