WASHINGTON — Some of the same forces that propelled Anthony Scaramucci to power also hastened his just-as-fast descent, with the now-ex communications director resigning Monday in another sudden staff shakeup.
Two sources close to President Donald Trump said Scaramucci's profane remarks last week to The New Yorker magazine "disgusted" and "offended" some close to the president, including Melania Trump, and — crucially — Ivanka Trump, who had initially advocated for Scaramucci's hiring.
Scaramucci was ousted Monday, the first day on the job for Trump's new chief of staff, the retired Marine general John Kelly.
One source said both Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner supported Kelly and his move to dismiss Scaramucci.
And it wasn't just the expletive-filled interview: Some in the West Wing believe Scaramucci overplayed his hand altogether, believing he could do no wrong in the eyes of the president.
Still, even as late as Sunday evening, Scaramucci told MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle that he believed the fallout from his New Yorker interview would blow over.
It did not.
Instead, Kelly's first order of business Monday morning was to tell Scaramucci in no uncertain terms his services would no longer be needed. Scaramucci had lasted six days, the shortest tenure of a communications director in White House history.
Related: Scaramucci Sets New Record: Shortest Term as Communications Director
While the White House didn't initially decry Scaramucci's vulgar comments to The New Yorker, by Friday the president was getting an earful from confidantes outside the administration. The blowback built. Even for a president who's no stranger to salty language, Scaramucci's interview, with its f-bombs and anatomical references, apparently came off as too lowbrow.
By mid-morning on Monday, Scaramucci was sacked and Kelly, a 40-year Marine, had conveyed to the rest of the staff that the chain of command now runs through him. Before he took the job, Kelly had solicited assurances that he'd have the autonomy to make critical staffing decisions, according to those familiar with the conversations.
Now, he and the president now have another big decision ahead of them: Who will replace Scaramucci as communications director, essentially the public face of the White House and its message?
While Trump insisted Monday there's no White House chaos, it's worth noting he alone created much of the turbulence: Installing Scaramucci, which triggered Spicer's departure, which preceded chief of staff Reince Priebus' forced resignation, which opened the door for Kelly.
