Anthony Scaramucci, incoming White House communications director, said Tuesday that he was upset by stories about his plans to fire staffers from the West Wing because he hadn’t yet spoken with aides whose terminations have already been made public.
“This is actually a terrible thing,” Scaramucci told reporters outside the White House when pressed about reports that Michael Short, a communications aide, will soon be let go. “Let’s say I’m firing Michael Short today. The fact that you guys know about it before he does really upsets me as a human being and as a Roman Catholic.”
“So I should have the opportunity, if I have to let somebody go, to let the person go in a very humane, dignified way, and then the next thing I’m going to do is help the person get a job somewhere,” Scaramucci added.
Word of Short’s pending termination began to leak out of the White House on Monday, and Scaramucci himself confirmed to Politico on Tuesday morning that he was looking to fire Short.
The new White House press chief, who doesn’t officially start until mid-August, warned that he is willing to strip the communications office down to himself and Sarah Sanders, incoming press secretary, in order to stop future leaks.
“The people in the room can stay in the room, they have to stop leaking. If they don’t stop leaking, I’m going to put them out on Pennsylvania Avenue,” Scaramucci said. “You want to sell postcards to the tourists outside the gate, or do you want to work in the West Wing? If you want to work in the West Wing, you have to stop leaking.”
