Anthony Scaramucci slams Donald Trump for not being harsh enough on white supremacists after Charlottesville
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Donald Trump's ex-press secretary has slammed his former boss for not taking a harder line against the white supremacists after the Charlottesville tragedy.
Anthony Scaramucci l eft his post just 11 days after replacing Sean Spicer as press secretary, and gave his first interview since his resignation.
He told ABC's 'This week with George Stephanopoulos that he would have urged Trump to take a different approach.
Trump, Scaramucci said: "He likes doing the opposite of what the media thinks he should do."
Scaramucci also hinted that the days are numbered for Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon.
He decried what he called the "Bannon-Bart" influence at the White House, labelling it "nonsense."
(Image: REUTERS)
It was a reference to Bannon's former job running Brietbart.com, the right-wing site that has also been associated with the alt-right.
Trump "has got to go more to the mainstream," Scaramucci said. He added that he thinks "the president knows what he is going to do with Steve Bannon," and that Trump "has an idea of who the leakers are".
The New Yorker's Ryan Lizza published an expletive-filled interview with Scaramucci, in which he bashed then-chief of staff Reince Priebus and used a sexually-vulgar term to describe Bannon.
Stephanopoulos played portions of the conversation Scaramucci had with Lizza, as Scaramucci listened.
(Image: AFP)
But he steered clear from using over-the-top statements.
He said that he thought that the phone call was off the record, and called it a "very deceitful thing" for Lizza to publish his quotes.
But he acknowledged that he "made an unforced error," and said that he was a target from the start.
"There were probably one or two people who wanted me in that job," including Trump, Scaramucci said. "There were probably 200 people that didn't want me in that job."
He also said that how he sounds on the audio of the conversation is different to how he comes across in print.
Despite his departure from the White House, Scaramucci said that he remains a loyal and supportive of the president, and HAD talked to him in the past week.
(Image: AFP)
He said that some of the turbulence of Trump's first six months is because "the president is not a representative of political establishment class, and for whatever reason people want to eject him".
He ADDED that Trump had created an "opening" for corporate CEOs to "enter the system," and mentioned Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and The Walt Disney Co.'s Bob Iger as corporate chieftains who have expressed an interest in politics.
He said that one of his faults in taking the job was that "I was running too hard like a corporate CEO than a political operative."
"I went in there with my heart and soul," he said. "I am a straight talking person."
He also compared himself to a pop culture figure -- Winston Wolf, the clean up guy in "Pulp Fiction."
Appearing on a Facebook Live conversation with ABC News' Rick Klein, Scaramucci talked more about Bannon and whether he should have a role at the White House.
(Image: EPA)
Asked whether Bannon and the alt-right we having an influence on Trump, Scaramucci said that "I think the president is his own person." He said that Bannon's influence "is not as great as you would think."
But he said that "the fact that [Bannon] is sitting there in the White House makes people think he has influence."
He did say that some of the topics that Bannon and Brietbart.com have brought up is "very worthwhile," like "economic desperation," but "the other nasty stuff that is on that website I think is disgusting."
He said that he was not being critical of Trump in saying that he would have recommended that the president call out white supremacy, but "I think he needs to hit it a little harder."
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
Three people died and several others seriously injured when protests in Charlottesville turned violent on Saturday.
Trump has faced criticism for 'waiting too long' to address the violence and failing to explicitly condemn the white supremacist marchers who ignited the melee.
The White House said the president's remarks condemned all forms of violence and bigotry, including neo-Nazi groups and the Ku Klux Klan.
Trump said "many sides" were involved in the Charlottesville incidents, drawing fire from across the political spectrum for not specifically denouncing the far right.
(Image: Getty)
The violence presented Trump with perhaps the first domestic crisis of his administration.
“We’re closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia," Trump told reporters at his New Jersey golf course.
"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides."
A reporter shouted a question to Trump about whether he had spoken out strongly enough against white nationalists but the president made no comment.
(Image: REUTERS)
On Sunday the far right organiser of the rally had to be escorted away by riot police after angry mobs descended upon his makeshift press conference.
Jasson Kessler is a white supremacist who organised the Unite the Right protest in the liberal town of Charlottesville, which resulted in three deaths and many other serious injuries on Saturday.
A 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyes, was killed after an alt-right protester drove his car into a crowd of people peacefully carrying out a counter protest.
Kessler attempted to make a public speech blaming the lack of security for the atrocities which occurred at the deadly protests on Saturday.
But his words were soon drowned out by chants of "murderer" and "Nazi" before crowds of people poured onto the podium and the far right leader had to be escorted away by riot police.
Angry mobs chased the President of 'America First' away, with many attempting to pull him to the ground.
As armed police in protective gear pulled Kessler away a crowd member can be heard to say "her name was Heather, sir, her name was Heather, Jason, her blood is on your hands".
(Image: Rex Features)
Another heckler can be heard to say: "Jason, what do you have to say for yourself?".
The white nationalist blogger had previously said supporters of the rally would not back down and would stage more events.
He said: "Absolutely we are going to have further demonstrations in Charlottesville because our constitutional rights are being denied."
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
Far right protester James Alex Fields Jr, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder following Heather Heyer's death.
The FBI confirmed that a civil rights investigation has been launched into the crash.
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Earlier in the day, Fields was photographed standing with members of alt-right Vanguard America at a far-right rally that turned violent with fights in the streets before the alleged car attack.
Fields was pictured holding a black shield bearing the neo-Nazi group's logo, and wearing its uniform consisting of a white polo shirt and khaki trousers.
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: REUTERS)
"Blood and soil", the group's motto, which is derived from a Nazi slogan, was chanted by white nationals at the rally.
The Southern Poverty Law Center calls Vanguard America a "racist right-wing organisation" and said it helped to organised the Unite the Right rally.
In the aftermath of the alleged car attack, Vanguard America denied that the suspect was one of its members.
It wrote on Twitter: "The driver of the vehicle that hit counterprotesters today was, in no way, a member of Vanguard America.
"All our members had been safely evacuated by the time of the incident.
"The shields seen do not denote membership, nor does the white shirt. The shirts were freely handed out to anyone in attendance."
Fields' Facebook page allegedly featured a number of alt-right and Nazi images, including Adolf Hitler's baby photo, before it was taken offline, the New York Daily News reports .
Fields' former teacher Derek Weimer told the TV news station WCPO : “He was very infatuated with the Nazis, with Adolf Hitler.
"He also had a huge military history, especially with German military history and World War II. But, he was pretty infatuated with that stuff.”
(Image: REUTERS)
(Image: Getty)
Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal, was killed and 19 others were injured when a Dodge Challenger ploughed into a group peacefully protesting and then slammed into another vehicle while tensions in the street were high and a number of fights had already broken out.
Her final public Facebook post read : "If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention."
Mourners returned to the crash scene today to place flowers, cards and other objects in tribute to Ms Heyer.
Shocking footage showed the car hitting pedestrians as bystanders rushed to help the injured.
(Image: Getty)
(Image: REUTERS)
Some described the collision as "deliberate terrorism" - and called on officials and US President Donald Trump to "treat it" as a terror attack.
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After smashing into the activists, the car was filmed reversing back down the street at speed, with a single, red shoe flying out from under its wrecked bumper.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency due to the violence.
Two Virginia State Police officers were also killed when a helicopter, which had been monitoring the violence from the air, crashed and burst into flames.
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
The officers were identified as pilot Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, 40.
Dramatic footage from earlier in the day showed people throwing punches and hurling objects, including bottles and rocks, as the two sides clashed.
A number of people were treated for injuries at the scene as fighting continued.
Men dressed in military-style uniforms were seen carrying rifles and shields in the area.
Other clips showed chemical sprays and smoke bombs being used.
(Image: Getty)
(Image: Rex Features)
It was around a couple of hours later that the car was filmed ploughing into protesters.
Mayor Mike Signer who tweeted throughout the chaos, pleaded with people to go back home following the smash.
Mr Signer tweeted: "I am furious & heartsick by the car crash that has injured many. Please all-go home to your families. We can work tomorrow. GO HOME! PLEASE!"
Around half an hour later, he added: "I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will - go home."
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
The white supremacist rally was organised in protest over Charlottesville's decision to remove a statue of a Confederate general from a local park.
However, riot police were forced to intervene after the clashes erupted, with helmet-clad officers spotted confronting demonstrators at the scene.
Mr McAuliffe, a Democrat, halted the planned rally, but that did not stop the violence.
About 15 people were injured after rival groups fought pitched battles using fists, rocks and pepper spray.
Addressing the white supremacists, the governor said: "There is no place for you here. There is no place for you in America."
Former president Bill Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders also tweeted about the incident, hitting out at the white supremacists.
(Image: Rex Features)
(Image: Rex Features)
Mr Clinton posted: "Even as we protect free speech and assembly, we must condemn hatred, violence and white supremacy. #Charlottesville."
Mr Sanders said: "The white nationalist demonstration in #Charlottesville is a reprehensible display of racism and hatred that has no place in our society."
They also encircled and chanted at the counter-demonstrators while standing at the base of a statue of former US president Thomas Jefferson.
Their chants reportedly included the words: "White lives matter".
(Image: Anadolu)
(Image: Anadolu)
A university spokesman said one person had been arrested while several people were injured.
The events highlight a persistent debate in the US South over the display of the Confederate battle flag and other symbols of the rebel side in the Civil War, fought over the issue of slavery.
On Friday night, hundreds of white marchers had clashed briefly with counter-protesters on the Charlottesville campus of the University of Virginia.
(Image: Getty Images North America)
(Image: Getty Images North America)
The marchers were seen carrying blazing torches during the incident, which occurred on the eve of the planned "Unite the Right" rally.
About two dozen people were arrested in Charlottesville in July when the Ku Klux Klan rallied against the plan to remove the statue.
Torch-wielding white nationalists also demonstrated in May against the removal.