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U.S. NEWS Friday 28 July 2017
Scaramucci threats, insults inflame fierce White House fight

By JULIE BYKOWICZ language. I will refrain in
JONATHAN LEMIRE this arena but not give up
Associated Press the passionate fight for @
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- realDonaldTrump’s agen-
dent Donald Trump’s new da. #MAGA,” he tweeted.
communications director The tag at the end stands
exploded the smoldering for Trump’s “Make America
tensions at the White House Great Again.”
into a full-fledged confla- White House spokeswom-
gration Thursday, angrily an Sarah Huckabee Sand-
daring Trump’s chief of staff ers referred reporters to the
to deny he’s a “leaker” tweet.
and exposing West Wing The president’s senior coun-
backstabbing in language selor, Kellyanne Conway,
more suitable to a mobster had earlier speculated in
movie than a seat of presi- a Fox News interview that
dential stability. unnamed forces were out
In a pull-no-punches, im- to get Scaramucci, saying:
promptu CNN interview “Somebody is trying to get
that he said was autho- in his way and scare him
rized by the president, An- off.”
thony Scaramucci went “There are leaks and then White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, center, is interviewed as he walks back to the West
after chief of staff Reince there are people using the Wing of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2017. In a pull-no-punches, impromptu
Priebus in graphic terms. press to shiv each other in CNN interview Thursday that he said was authorized by the president, Anthony Scaramucci went
“The fish stinks from the the ribs,” she said. after Priebus in graphic terms.
head down,” he said. “I Meanwhile, no one in the (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
can tell you two fish that White House took up for
don’t stink, and that’s me Priebus — including Priebus
and the president.” himself. Newly promoted
Not even a week into his press secretary Sarah Huck-
new job, Scaramucci ac- abee Sanders avoided giv-
cused unidentified senior ing a direct answer when
officials of trying to sabo- asked whether Trump has
tage him and commit- confidence in Priebus.
ting a felony by leaking The past 24 hours provid-
information. But the per- ed the clearest evidence
sonal financial informa- yet that Scaramucci and
tion that he said someone Trump, both brash New
had “leaked” about him Yorkers, are cut from the
had simply been obtained same cloth. One of their
through a public records shared techniques: pub-
request. licly shaming members of
Then in an interview pub- their own team.
lished by The New Yorker Scaramucci’s goading of
late Thursday, an angry Priebus came as Trump
Scaramucci used an ex- continued to fume publicly
pletive to accuse Priebus and privately about his at-
of being a “f------ paranoid torney general.
schizophrenic” and White Trump has been critical of
House chief strategist Steve Attorney General Jeff Ses-
Bannon of trying to burnish sions for recusing himself
his own reputation. from the Justice Depart-
He also threatened to fire ment investigation into
White House staffers who whether the president’s
leaked about a dinner he campaign had anything
had with the president. to do with Russian interfer-
“They’ll all be fired by me,” ence in the election last
Scaramucci told the mag- fall.
azine. “I fired one guy the “It hasn’t been my best
other day. I have three to week ... for my relationship
four people I’ll fire tomor- with the president,” Ses-
row. sions acknowledged in an
I’ll get to the person who interview with The Associ-
leaked that to you. Reince ated Press in El Salvador,
Priebus — if you want to where he was on a mis-
leak something — he’ll be sion to increase interna-
asked to resign very short- tional cooperation against
ly.” gangs.
By day’s end Scaramucci He said he would stay in his
sounded calmer, though post and fight for Trump’s
not regretful. agenda “as long as he sees
“I sometimes use colorful that as appropriate.”q