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Spicer out, Scaramucci in

White House shakeup; Scaramucci in, Spicer out 

How will Anthony Scaramucci’s new role as the White House Communications Director shape President Trump’s message? The Inside Politics panel breaks it down.

At the White House, an abrupt chain reaction: Spicer out; Scaramucci and Sanders in By Ashley Parker, Abby Phillip and Damian Paletta

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Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, above left, walks into the West Wing on Friday after abruptly resigning his position in protest of President Trump’s decision to install Anthony Scaramucci as communications director. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

President Trump overhauled his White House on Friday in a dramatic shake-up of his senior team at the six-month mark of his presidency, which so far has been beset by a special counsel’s widening Russia investigation, a floundering legislative agenda and seemingly constant chaos and infighting within his West Wing.

Trump’s decision Friday morning to install wealthy financier Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director set off an unexpected chain reaction, with White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigning in protest, according to people familiar with the departure. By afternoon, Spicer’s deputy, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, had been named to replace him.

As the reorganization unfolded throughout the day, Trump’s communications shop — not known for finely tuned messaging — offered its best attempt at a display of unity, a Kabuki-theater performance juxtaposing polite public statements with sniping and complaints behind the scenes. 

“The president wanted to bring on some folks, to add to the team,” Spicer said in a brief interview on Friday. “This is something you dream of. I can’t thank the president enough.”

Asked if he had any regrets, Spicer replied: “None.”

In a statement Sanders read during the daily briefing, Trump said he was “grateful for Sean’s work” and wished him “continued success as he moves on to pursue new opportunities — just look at his great television ratings.”

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus called a private meeting of the White House communications staff Friday morning and said that Spicer, who will remain through August to help Scaramucci transition into the role, is leaving to give the new communications director “a clean slate,” according to someone briefed on the meeting who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity. 

Priebus also tried to play down any tensions between him and Scaramucci, saying the two have known each other for a long time, and Scaramucci told his new team that he is not a “top-down” manager, this person said.

Scaramucci and Spicer then attempted an awkward hug, with Spicer stiffly accepting Scaramucci’s embrace, the person said. To read more go to the link below: 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/at-the-white-house-spicer-out-scaramucci-sanders–and-chaos–in/2017/07/21/fa1add18-6e43-11e7-b9e2-2056e768a7e5_story.html?utm_term=.8c234e791d82

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