Anthony Scaramucci is out as White House Communications Director, only 10 days after taking the job.
According to multiple reports, President Donald Trump ousted Scaramucci Monday, just days after the former investment banker-turned-White House staffer unleashed a profanity-laced tirade against other members of the president’s personnel.
The New York Times reported Monday that the request to remove Scaramucci came directly from Trump’s Chief of Staff John Kelly, who took over as the president’s right hand man on Friday.
“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,” the White House said in a statement.
Scaramucci’s ousting comes after two chaotic in Washington, particularly within Trump’s inner circle.
Earlier this month, former Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned after Trump named Scaramucci his new Communications Director. Spicer was reportedly incensed over Scaramucci's lack of qualifications for the position, calling it quits the same day Scaramucci began his new job.
Scaramucci is the second high-profile staffer to be given the boot in several days, furthering indications of inner turmoil in the White House. Former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was reportedly fired on Friday after Scaramucci made profanity-laced comments to the New Yorker about Priebus, furious over information leaks coming from staffers inside the White House.
Scaramucci and Priebus were rumored to be embroiled in hostility towards each other. The contention spilled into the public eye Thursday when Scaramucci accused Priebus of being responsible for leaking information to the media, hinting he would push for Priebus' resignation.
“They’ll all be fired by me,” Scaramucci said, the New Yorker reported. “I fired one guy the other day. I have three to four people I’ll fire tomorrow. I’ll get to the person who leaked that to you. Reince Priebus — if you want to leak something — he’ll be asked to resign very shortly.”
Scaramucci assailed Priebus as a “paranoid schizophrenic” in the phone call with the New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza.
He later apologized for using “colorful language” when speaking with the publication.
In a tweet posted early Monday morning, Trump insisted the White House ship was sailing smoothly despite staff changeups.
“No WH chaos!” the president wrote.
Informally known as “The Mooch,” Scaramucci became well-known for his no-holds-barred, devil-may-care attitude, boasting he did not report directly to Kelly but to the president himself.
Some Florida officials praised the firing, contending it was a step in the right direction for an administration entangled in controversy.
"General Kelly is 1 for 1," wrote U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo on Monday. "Let's keep it going."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
