Breaking: Trump’s new comms director Scaramucci is out

Anthony Scaramucci courted controversy with an eye-watering attack on his colleagues – one targeting chief of staff Reince Priebus, who left his job last week, and chief White House strategist Steve Bannon.

The New York Times reported that Scaramucci was dumped on the request of new chief of staff John Kelly, who was sworn in Monday, and tapped by Trump to bring some stability to an at times chaotic White House.

Scaramucci, according to Variety, had not started in his new role, but was under fire after the New Yorker published an expletive-filled conversation he had with one of its writers, Ryan Lizza.

Scaramucci was not scheduled to officially begin his job until 15 August.

Quoting a White House statement, the BBC said a three-sentence statement from the White House reads: “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.”

CNN described Scaramucci as a colourful and controversial figure, who was brought on during the latest in a long list of White House shake-ups that have rocked the presidency amid a sense of chaos.

Scaramucci is the third White House communications director to leave the post that had been vacant since late May, when Mike Dubke left after about three months on the job. Sean Spicer, the former White House press secretary, also assumed some of the communications director role before he resigned when Scaramucci was hired on 21 July. DM

Photo: White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci attends a news conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House after former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned, in Washington, DC, USA, 21 July 2017. US President Donald J. Trump has removed Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director at the request of new White House Chief of Staff, John F. Kelly in Washington, DC, USA, 25 July 2017. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS