Scaramucci purges his Twitter account

Past Trump criticisms deleted to avoid being a ‘distraction’

WASHINGTON— Anthony Scaramucci has purged his Twitter account of previous criticisms of U.S. President Donald Trump, saying he didn’t want to be a “distraction” for the White House in his new role as communications director.

Among the missives that disappeared into the digital ether on Saturday were a post referring to Trump’s campaign as a “spectacle,” another in 2012 imploring Democrat Hillary Clinton to run for president, and a tweet calling Trump ally Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, an “odd guy.”

“Full transparency: I’m deleting old tweets,” Scaramucci posted to the social media network. “Past views evolved & shouldn’t be a distraction. I serve @POTUS agenda & that’s all that matters.”

Among the casualties: a post saying he found the number of people who still believe climate change is a hoax “disheartening,” as well as a tweet arguing “walls don’t work” as immigration tools.

Scaramucci, 53, also deleted a tweet voicing support for “strong gun control laws” that had drawn the ire of a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, which offered the president a key endorsement during the campaign.

Conservative commentator Dana Loesch, in a post that itself has now been deleted, said she found it “concerning” that Scaramucci “has a contrary position” on Second Amendment rights from the president. “You’re talking about someone responsible for presenting President’s message to public,” she said in a second post that remains on the social media network.

Scaramucci has also left up posts critical of the death penalty, which the president supports.