Anthony Scaramucci dumped from White House days into the job

THE latest sacking in Donald Trump’s White House was so stunning that it left America’s newsreaders speechless.

DONALD Trump’s communications director Anthony Scaramucci has been sensationally dumped from the White House after just 11 days in the job.

Mr Scaramucci had ignited an “all-out civil war” inside the West Wing during his short but tumultuous stint, waging a crusade against leakers and publicly unleashing on his colleagues. He even claimed the scalp of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus — but today, Mr Priebus’s replacement claimed his.

“Anthony Scaramucci will be leaving his role as White House Communications Director. Mr Scaramucci felt it was best to give (new) 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.

Anthony Scaramucci didn’t last long. Pic: Reuters

Mr Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, was sworn in as Donald Trump’s new chief of staff just hours before Mr Scaramucci’s departure was announced. Mr Kelly’s move to dump the controversial communications director was a signal of his authority in the administration, given Mr Scaramucci had been subverting the traditional chain of command by reporting directly to the president.

Speaking of Mr Trump, earlier today he tweeted that there was “no White House chaos”, even though he presumably knew Mr Scaramucci was about to be pushed out.

Highest Stock Market EVER, best economic numbers in years, unemployment lowest in 17 years, wages raising, border secure, S.C.: No WH chaos!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2017

A great day at the White House!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2017

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders echoed the president’s “no chaos” claim, and was promptly mocked by CNN’s chief political reporter, Jim Acosta.

“That seems akin to denying the sky is blue,” Mr Acosta said. “Obviously the staff is in chaos here at the White House. She said if you want to see chaos, you can come see how my kids play at my house. My suspicion is that her children behave better than some of the officials do inside this White House.”

There was plenty of similar mockery in response to Mr Scaramucci’s departure, but a tinge of sympathy for him as well.

In 10 days, Anthony Scaramucci: got a job
had a baby
ended his marriage
lost a job

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) July 31, 2017

The Anthony #Scaramucci White House run in gif form pic.twitter.com/nUpz3L1PDQ

— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 31, 2017

You blazed across our skies like a comet, but you flew too close to the sun, dear Mooch.

— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) July 31, 2017

In all seriousness, this is a sad story. Not a laugher. Guy sold his company, divorced his wife, didn’t see his kid's birth, for…. this.

— Sam Stein (@samstein) July 31, 2017

Most of all though, there was bemusement from news anchors who were taken by surprise by Mr Scaramucci’s resignation, CNN’s Brooke Baldwin foremost among them.

“Forgive me, I don’t even know what to say,” she said, confused.

“I just got a piece of information in my ear that - how long has he been in the job, Scaramucci? The Mooch has been in the job like a week and some change ... he has resigned from his position.

“Let me just ... I’m surprised, let me be real with you.”

It's not often I'm speechless. Here's my raw reaction to delivering #theMooch news: https://t.co/LKMXdPQFT6

— Brooke Baldwin (@BrookeBCNN) July 31, 2017

Mr Scaramucci’s brief tenure started tempestuously as White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigned in protest at his appointment, and it only got more enthralling from there.

The apparent tipping point was an expletive-filled tirade against other senior White House staffers during a phone call with the New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza, wherein he threatened to go on a firing spree and “f***ing kill all the leakers”.

“Reince is a f***ing paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac,” he said, referring to Mr Priebus.

“I’m not Steve Bannon, I’m not trying to suck my own c**k,” he added, taking aim at Mr Trump’s senior political strategist.

Anthony Scaramucci can kiss his White House job goodbye. Pic: AP

It wasn’t his only extraordinary interview. Speaking to CNN last Thursday, Mr Scaramucci implied Mr Priebus was at the centre of “completely and totally reprehensible” White House leaks.

“The president and I would like to tell everybody we have a very, very good idea who the senior leakers are in the White House,” he said. “The fish stinks from the head down. But I can tell you two fish that don’t stink, that’s me and the president.”

Mr Scaramucci’s cantankerous public comments, particularly his vulgar New Yorker interview, did not go down well with incoming chief of staff John Kelly. According to the Washington Post, Mr Kelly told associates the interview was “abhorrent and embarrassing for the president”, and removing Mr Scaramucci was crucial in his effort to change the culture of the White House.

Mr Trump has reportedly given Mr Kelly full authority over a West Wing staff that has become notorious for infighting, and he intends to instil discipline.

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Pic: AP

These past 11 days have been eventful for Mr Scaramucci’s personal life as well. A wealthy financier by trade, he was in the midst of a painful marriage breakdown when he took the job, and it has since been revealed that his wife Deidre has filed for divorce.

On top of that, Ms Scaramucci gave birth to the couple’s son last Monday, while her husband was travelling with the president.

“When James was born, he sent her a text saying, ‘Congratulations, I’ll pray for our child,’” a source told the New York Post.

“There’s been ... a lot of lies,” the source said. “She’s mad. They aren’t really speaking right now. The (pain) runs deep. (Anthony) tells her she’s not that smart, that he’s out of her league.

“The big shift began when Deidre went from being arm candy to (being a mother) and being unavailable for nights out [and hobnobbing],” the source said. “That’s when (Anthony’s) decision to just continue his life as it was and leave her behind really started to take hold.”