(CNSNews.com) – President Donald Trump thought White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci’s profanity-laced comments to a reporter last week was “inappropriate,” which was one reason for his dismissal, the White House said Monday.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president also didn’t want to “burden” his new Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly “with that line of succession.” When he was hired, Scaramucci said he would be reporting directly to the president, instead of to then Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, who resigned on Friday.
“Look, the president certainly felt that Anthony’s comments were inappropriate for a person in that position, and he didn’t want to burden General Kelly also with that line of succession. As I think we’ve made clear a few times over the course of the last couple of days to several of you individually, but General Kelly has the full authority to operate within the White House, and all staff will report to him,” Sanders said.
When asked whether the president or Kelly asked Scaramucci to leave and whether Scaramucci offered his resignation, Sanders told reporters Monday that she wasn’t “going to get into the process tick tock.” She said what mattered most to the administration was not who was employed in the White House but “who’s employed in the rest of the country.”
In a statement issued before the White House press briefing, Sanders said, “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.”
“Sarah, this statement that was released by the White House says Mr. Scaramucci felt that it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team, but you just said the president felt that his comments were inappropriate,” a reporter said during the press briefing.
“I don’t see those as being mutually exclusive. I think Anthony wants General Kelly to be able to operate fully with a clean slate, build his own team, while at the same time, the president felt his comments were inappropriate. Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive,” Sanders said.
“You said you don’t want to get into the process, but you already did. The statement says that Scaramucci ‘felt,’ so you’re basically laying this on him. You’re saying that it was his decision. Was it his decision?” a reporter asked Sanders.
“I think I’ve been pretty clear that the President felt it was inappropriate. Both Anthony and General Kelly also, I think, came to a mutual agreement, and we’re moving forward to focus on the jobs outside of this building, not within it,” Sanders said.
When asked whether Scaramucci is still a part of the administration and whether he has another role besides communications director, Sanders said, “He does not have a role at this time in the Trump administration.”
“He’s not at the Ex-Im Bank?” a reporter asked Sanders.
“Not at this time,” Sanders replied.
When asked whether outgoing Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who resigned to give Scaramucci “a clean slate,” will be in the administration in any way now that Scaramucci is leaving, Sanders said, “I’m not aware of any changes that have been made on that front.”
When asked about reports that Attorney General Jeff Sessions is being considered for Homeland Security chief, Sanders said, “There are no conversations about any Cabinet members moving in any capacity, and the president has 100 percent confidence in all members of his Cabinet.”
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