Another aide bites the dust
Scaramucci out as Kelly takes control
WASHINGTON — Staff changes in President Donald Trump’s White House resumed Monday — but with an end that may mean more structure and less freelancing in the West Wing’s game of musical chairs.
In the morning, former Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was sworn in as chief of staff. Then, hours later, the White House released a statement that promised less drama as new communications director Anthony Scaramucci was leaving after a tenure — 10 days — that is one for the record books.
Kelly becomes chief gatekeeper following a tumultuous two weeks for the White House that included the resignation of chief of staff Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer, who served as both communications director and press secretary. Spicer resigned when Trump hired Scaramucci over the objections of Priebus, the former Republican National Committee head who also made the record books as the
WHITE HOUSE
shortest-serving chief of staff since the position was created in 1946.
Scaramucci may have sealed his fate on his first day on the job when he told reporters that, unlike other communications directors, he would report directly to the president, not to Priebus. Those who know Kelly, a retired Marine general, had trouble believing that he would agree to take the gatekeeping job if a brash newcomer would be able to dance around his chain of command.
Adding fuel to the fire was an expletive-laden tirade against top White House aides, including Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon, that Scaramucci delivered to New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza late Thursday.
The White House hinted that Scaramucci was fired but did not say so explicitly. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did say that Trump “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.”
The second-biggest question about Kelly taking on the chief of staff job was whether two top aides who are family — daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner — would have to go through Kelly to talk to Trump. Sanders said Kelly “has the full authority to operate within the White House, and all staff will report to him.”
Kelly “will bring new structure, discipline and strength” to the White House, she said.
“This had to happen,” said Republican strategist Mack Mackowiak,