politics

10 days in, Anthony Scaramucci has been fired as White House communications director.

Anthony Scaramucci is out as White House communications director after just 10 days on the job – and just hours after President Donald Trump’s new chief of staff, John Kelly, was sworn into office.

Hoping to turn the page on a tumultuous opening chapter to his presidency, Trump had insisted earlier on Monday that there was “no chaos” in his White House as he swore in the retired marine general as second chief of staff.

Not long after, Scaramucci, who shocked many with his profane outburst last week against then-chief of staff Reince Priebus, was gone. Priebus was sacked on Friday.

Anthony Scaramucci in the briefing room at the White House in Washington, DC on Friday, July 21, 2017. (Photo via Getty Images)
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In the words of the White House announcement, Scaramucci was leaving because he "felt it was best to give Chief of Staff John Kelly a clean slate and the ability to build his own team".

The two-sentence release concluded: "We wish him all the best".

Scaramucci's appointment was not without controversy. It led to the resignation of White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who vehemently disagreed with Trump's decision to hire the former Wall Street banker.

Earlier on Monday in the Oval Office ceremony, Trump predicted Kelly - who previously served as Homeland Security chief - would do a "spectacular job".

The president chose to highlight the rising stock market and positive jobs outlook rather than talk about how things might need to change under Kelly.

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