When Anthony Scaramucci began his brief, ill-fated turn as White House Communications Director, he repeatedly professed his “love” for Donald Trump. Just weeks later, however, he’s already having a falling out with the man he loves.
On Saturday, Trump made a widely panned statement on the weekend of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia that was sparked by white nationalist and neo-Nazi protesters. Trump’s comments did not condemn white supremacy, and blamed the violence on “many sides.” Much of the loudest praise for Trump’s remarks came from white nationalists.
This statement did not sit well with Scaramucci, either. “I wouldn’t have recommended that statement,” Trump’s one-time communications director told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos “I think he would have needed to have been much harsher.”
“With the moral authority of the presidency,” Scaramucci added, “you have to call that stuff out.”
Scaramucci suggested that Trump’s statement can be blamed, at least in part, on “this sort of ‘Bannon-bart’ influence” in the White House — a reference to Trump’s white nationalist strategist Steve Bannon and the website Breitbart, which Bannon used to run.
Nevertheless, Scaramucci also indicated that this White House faces broader problems than a single adviser. “I think people are probably reluctant to tell [Trump] the truth,” Trump’s former adviser said, naming Trump daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner as two possible exceptions.