At the White House, an abrupt chain reaction: Spicer out; Scaramucci and Sanders in
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President Trump overhauled his White House on Friday in a dramatic shake-up of his senior team at the six-month mark of his presidency, which so far has been beset by a special counsel’s widening Russia investigation, a floundering legislative agenda and seemingly constant chaos and infighting within his West Wing.
Trump’s decision Friday morning to install wealthy financier Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director set off an unexpected chain reaction, with White House press secretary Sean Spicer resigning in protest, according to people familiar with the departure. By afternoon, Spicer’s deputy, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, had been named to replace him.
As the reorganization unfolded throughout the day, Trump’s communications shop — not known for finely tuned messaging — offered its best attempt at a display of unity, a Kabuki-theater performance juxtaposing polite public statements with sniping and complaints behind the scenes.
“The president wanted to bring on some folks, to add to the team,” Spicer said in a brief interview on Friday. “This is something you dream of. I can’t thank the president enough.”
Asked if he had any regrets, Spicer replied: “None.”
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