SLICK YOUNG GUN
Anthony Scaramucci is a key Trump spokesman today — but he has
ANTHONY Scaramucci, the new White House communications director, is one of President Donald Trump’s slickest defenders — but not someone known for his press relations skills.
Within days the New Yorker (52) won his first major victory, seeing off Reince Priebus, the White House chief of staff who opposed his appointment in the first place.
There is reportedly little love lost between Mr Scaramucci and Steve Bannon, Mr Trump’s chief strategist, who is likely to be looking over his shoulder.
Mr Scaramucci made a name for himself as a financier, working first for Goldman Sachs and then launching his own wealth management firm.
In 2005 he started Sky Bridge Capital, the global alternative investment firm which was to make his multi-million dollar fortune.
Mr Scaramucci began appearing on television as a pundit, hosting his own show, Wall Street Week.
In 2008, Mr Scaramucci was a fundraiser for future president Barack Obama and the Democrats.
The two men were Harvard Law School classmates who played basketball together. He once said that Mr Obama had “the best smile in American politics since Jack Kennedy”.
But between the 2008 and 2012 elections, he became critical of Mr Obama’s Wall Street policies.
By 2012, he joined Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s finance team.
He was also a fundraiser for Mr Trump during the 2016 election, and became one of Mr Trump’s most strident defenders.
In January he was reportedly in talks for a White House role, in the Office of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs.
That never materialised, amid concerns about his business dealings — he sold his business to a Chinese consortium.
Former Ideagen CEO George Sifakis got the job instead, and Mr Scaramucci was open about his disappointment.
But, with Sean Spicer evidently struggling, Mr Scaramucci seized his moment. On July 21 he was appointed communications director, taking over from Mike Dubke, who resigned in May.
Mr Spicer immediately handed in his notice.
On his first day, Mr Scaramucci set out to win over the press and set a positive, upbeat tone.
He insisted there was no animosity between him, Mr Spicer and the two men in the White House who vehemently opposed his appointment — Priebus and Bannon.
“Sean is a true American patriot,” he said.
“This is obviously a difficult situation but I wish him well and I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money.
“Reince and I have been personal friends for six years. We are a little bit like brothers — we rough