No matter who is in the Oval Office, the job of the White House communications office is to create positive press attention that promotes the president’s agenda. When new communications director Anthony Scaramucci was introduced to the public on July 21, he seemed qualified, deftly answering questions and charming the press.
By Wednesday, things were going downhill.
Scaramucci’s financial disclosures were published in the press. In a now-deleted tweet, he claimed it was due to a leak that was a felony and said he’d be contacting the FBI and the Justice Department. But the real drama came from Scaramucci’s decision to tag chief of staff Reince Priebus’ Twitter handle.
It certainly seemed as though Scaramucci was accusing Priebus of being the leaker, and there has been varying support for this interpretation, not least Scaramucci doubling down on Thursday by calling into CNN and saying, “If Reince wants to explain he’s not a leaker, let him do that.”
There was, in fact, no need for a leak on this matter, for Scaramucci’s own disclosures more than a month ago went public this week. But the real point is that palace intrigue of this juicy sort is not merely unnecessary, but overshadows the White House’s agenda. President Trump’s tweets about Attorney General Jeff Sessions don’t help either. Such distractions undermine the president’s agenda to reform healthcare, cut taxes, and strengthen national defense. These are issues that concern the public each day and on which they rely for help on the federal government.
Leaks in the White House? Not so much.
There is not much that one can say in favor of former President Barack Obama’s time in office, but the sense of calm was, to some extent, an exception. Obama’s storied distaste for drama and infighting often smacked of disdain and a sort of Vulcan indifference to the concerns of ordinary people. But it also minimized the sort of palace intrigue stories that became legion in the Trump White House before Scaramucci arrived.
To be sure, the leaks are a problem in their own right, especially given the media’s propensity to focus on stories that interest them personally. Their overblown coverage of Sean Spicer’s departure was just one example.
And, yes, Scaramucci should do what he can to plug White House leaks. That might mean a steely, perhaps slightly scary, management style. But he doesn’t need to be a firecracker — the type that calls into CNN on a whim to throw dirt at his colleague and so-called “brother.”
Most people, when they have a problem with their friend, co-worker, or relative, don’t trash-talk them over Twitter or on CNN. They go to them directly and take whatever actions they deem necessary in private, behind closed doors. Not only does charity dictate this approach, but image-consciousness dictates this as well.
At least publicly, there’s no evidence Priebus is the leaker. If Scaramucci has such evidence, he should share it with Trump, who can make his own decision about what to do with his chief of staff.
It’s rumored that Priebus and Scaramucci have disliked each other for a long time and that Priebus strongly opposed Scaramucci’s hire. If those rumors are true, the two men either need to let their grievances go or decide who is going to quit. White House staff serve the president and, by extension, the public. Instead of clinging to petty squabbles with each other and feuding in public, they need to work together to get the job done.
The White House, from the Oval Office on down, needs to improve its focus on the everyday issues that people care about. That starts with making sure its internal disagreements are just that, internal.
