Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich praised the recent appointment of Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci Sunday, pointing out that President Donald Trump understands and appreciates his style.
“President Trump is a New Yorker. He and Scaramucci sort of speak the same language,” Gingrich told John Catsimatidis in a pre-recorded interview on AM970 in New York City. “And this way he has somebody that makes him kind of comfortable that he’s getting taken care of.”
Gingrich specified that Trump appreciates Scaramucci’s pointed response to White House leaks and the aggressive style he employs when speaking to the press.
“Scaramucci is an entrepreneur. He’s aggressive. Trump wants somebody willing to mix it up with the news media, get in the middle of the fight, try to get things done,” Gingrich said.
Scaramucci’s straight talking persona has been on full display since Trump appointed him to his new role on July 21. The New York financier vowed to crack down on White House leaks during his first press conference and subsequently suggested, in a since deleted tweet, that chief of staff Reince Priebus was responsible for leaking his financial disclosure forms.
Scaramucci repeatedly denied that he believed Priebus was responsible for the leaks, describing their relationship as that of brothers, who often fight despite wanting the best for each other.
Scaramucci contradicted that fraternal sentiment days later during a profane rant to The New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza, in which he described Reince Priebus as a “fucking paranoid schizophrenic” and defended the purity of his intentions by saying that, unlike Steve Bannon, he’s “not trying to suck [his] own cock.”
Trump not only failed to condemn Scaramucci’s profane attack on fellow administration officials, he reportedly reacted positively to the publication of Lizza’s New Yorker story. Scaramucci has seemingly escaped retribution for his comments as Trump responded by dismissing Priebus Friday and replacing him with former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly. (RELATED: Trump Loved The Mooch’s Outrageous Rant)
Gingrich’s comments help explain Trump’s appreciation for Scaramucci’s brash style. His inattention to the norms of political discourse mirror Trump’s own spontaneous communication style.
“Scaramucci is a natural fighter. He likes being in the media. He likes being seen, and I think he’s having a good time. And I think all of that comes together in a way that is very positive,” Gingrich said.
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