Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director, called The New Yorker‘s Ryan Lizza on the phone last night. He was angry because Lizza had tweeted earlier that night: “Scoop: Trump is dining tonight w/Sean Hannnity, Bill Shine (former Fox News executive), & Anthony Scaramucci, per to 2 knowledgeable sources,” and “Senior White House official tells me that Melania was also at the dinner tonight with Trump, Hannity, Shine, and Scaramucci.”
He wanted Lizza to reveal his sources. When Lizza refused, Scaramucci hilariously threatened to fire everyone on the White House communications staff. “I laughed, not sure if he really believed that such a threat would convince a journalist to reveal a source,” wrote Lizza.
Later on the call, Scaramucci went on a potty-mouthed rant about Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon. Lizza dutifully transcribed it:
Scaramucci was particularly incensed by a Politico report about his financial-disclosure form, which he viewed as an illegal act of retaliation by Priebus. The reporter said Thursday morning that the document was publicly available and she had obtained it from the Export-Import Bank. Scaramucci didn’t know this at the time, and he insisted to me that Priebus had leaked the document, and that the act was “a felony.”
“I’ve called the F.B.I. and the Department of Justice,” he told me.
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“The swamp will not defeat him,” he said, breaking into the third person. “They’re trying to resist me, but it’s not going to work. I’ve done nothing wrong on my financial disclosures, so they’re going to have to go fuck themselves.”
Scaramucci also told me that, unlike other senior officials, he had no interest in media attention.
“I’m not Steve Bannon, I’m not trying to suck my own cock,” he said, speaking of Trump’s chief strategist. “I’m not trying to build my own brand off the fucking strength of the President. I’m here to serve the country.” (Bannon declined to comment.)
If you thought farcical hilarity in the White House was ending with Sean Spicer’s departure, think again. The fun’s just starting.
Image: Wikipedia/Jdarsie11