Earlier today, the White House announced that financier Anthony Scaramucci (also known as "The Mooch") would fill the role of White House communications director, a job that's been open since Mike Dubke resigned in May. And with former Press Secretary Sean Spicer's resignation announced just hours after, Scaramucci, new to the field, will have his work cut out for him. Especially since he and the president apparently disagree on so many of the policies Scaramucci will have to sell to the public.
Earlier today, writer Josh Billinson was one of the first to spot two old Scaramucci tweets that bashed Trump directly, which Scaramucci then promptly deleted. Of course, this won’t be the first time Trump’s hired someone with dissenting beliefs. His chief economic advisor, Gary Cohn, is a registered Democrat, and senior adviser Kellyanne Conway had previously bashed Trump for constantly whining about a rigged election.
These people have mostly taken on advisory roles, though. Scaramucci will be a mouthpiece. And while he's largely supported Trump, he hasn't supported many of Trump's current policies.
So as a way to welcome our new White House communications director, let's take a look at where he stands on some of the policies he'll be shilling for starting today.
Update 7/22: Scaramucci has begun deleting his old tweets, writing on Twitter, "Full transparency: I'm deleting old tweets. Past views evolved & shouldn't be a distraction. I serve @POTUS agenda & that's all that matters." We'll be replacing his deleted tweets with screenshots as necessary.
On gun control:
Trump says:
At a rally in January of last year, Donald Trump said, "I will get rid of gun-free zones on schools, and—you have to—and on military bases. My first day, it gets signed, okay? My first day. There’s no more gun-free zones.”
He has also said, "The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway … A driver’s license works in every state, so it’s common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state," as well as "Fact—the tighter the gun laws, the more violence. The criminals will always have guns."
Scaramucci says:
On Islam:
Trump says: After the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, Trump went on television and announced that he would "strongly consider" closing all mosques in the US, saying, "I would hate to do it, but it's something that you're going to have to strongly consider because some of the ideas and some of the hatred — the absolute hatred — is coming from these areas."
Scaramucci says (quoting then-UK Prime Minister David Cameron):
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On the First Amendment:
Trump says:
Last year, when asked whether he believed that the First Amendment gave the press "too much protection," Donald Trump said yes: "Our press is allowed to say whatever they want and get away with it. And I think we should go to a system where if they do something wrong ... then yes, I think you should have the ability to sue them."
Scaramucci says:
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On Climate Change:
Trump says:
As a keen observer of weather, Trump has had a lot to say and/or tweet about climate change, not realizing the distinction. For instance: “Ice storm rolls from Texas to Tennessee - I’m in Los Angeles and it’s freezing. Global warming is a total, and very expensive, hoax!.” There was also: “We should be focused on clean and beautiful air-not expensive and business closing GLOBAL WARMING-a total hoax!” And then of course: “NBC News just called it the great freeze - coldest weather in years. Is our country still spending money on the GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?”
Scaramucci says:
On trade and globalization:
Trump says:
Speaking in Pennsylvania last June, Trump said, "Globalization has made the financial elite who donate to politicians very, very wealthy ... but it has left millions of our workers with nothing but poverty and heartache." He also touched on the subject in his inauguration speech: "We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon."
Scaramucci says:
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On Hillary Clinton:
Trump says:
Trump has had a quite a bit to say about Hillary Clinton, including that she "should have been prosecuted and should be in jail," is "incompetent," has "bad judgement," "doesn't have the drive or stamina," and "was so insulting."
Scaramucci says:
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On Brexit:
Trump says:
In an interview with of London, Trump voiced support for Britain's decision to leave the European Union, saying, "You look at the European Union and it’s Germany. Basically a vehicle for Germany. That’s why I thought the UK was so smart in getting out." And even before the vote, on Fox News, Trump said Trump said, "I know Great Britain very well. I know, you know, the country very well. I have a lot of investments there. I would say that they’re better off without it.", "I know Great Britain very well. I know, you know, the country very well. I have a lot of investments there. I would say that they’re better off without it." of London, Trump voiced support for Britain's decision to leave the European Union, saying, "You look at the European Union and it’s Germany. Basically a vehicle for Germany. That’s why I thought the UK was so smart in getting out." And even before the vote, on Fox News,
Scaramucci says:
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On walls:
Trump says: In April, Trump lobbied for his wall to supporters yet again, noting, "We need safety. We need cameras, we need all of the things that we are going to be putting in, and we need the wall. And we will build the wall as sure as you are standing there tonight. We need the wall." Less than a month later, at a joint press conference with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Trump said once again that "walls work. Just ask Israel."
Scaramucci says:
On Russia:
Trump says:
One of the only things Trump has ever managed to be consistent on his opinion of Russian leadership, of which he has said, "I am not angry at Russia (or China) because their leaders are far smarter than ours. We need real leadership, and fast, before it is too late" and "Putin has become a big hero in Russia with an all time high popularity. Obama, on the other hand, has fallen to his lowest ever numbers. SAD."
Scaramucci says:
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On Jeb!:
Trump says:
Jeb Bush was one of Trump's very favorite targets during the campaign, which saw him saying things like "Wow, Jeb Bush, whose campaign is a total disaster, had to bring in mommy to take a slap at me. Not nice!" and "Jeb Bush just got contact lenses and got rid of the glasses. He wants to look cool, but it's far too late. 1% in Nevada!"
Scaramucci says:
Anyways, best of luck to Mooch and his eventual team of lawyers. They’re all going to need it.
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