Anthony Scaramucci is striking back in his simmering feud with Donald Trump, with the former White House communication director saying that the Republican Party may need to replace Trump on the ticket in 2020 and comparing his presidency to one of the worst man-made disasters of all time.
Scaramucci had been a frequent defender of Trump even after his tenure as a White House staffer ended after just 11 days, frequently sticking up for the president on Twitter and in television appearances. But Trump’s fellow New York businessman was critical of the president’s trip to El Paso, Texas, this week to meet with victims of the mass shooting, calling the visit a “catastrophe.” As The Hill noted, that earned the ire of Trump, who lashed out at Scaramucci on Twitter.
Anthony Scaramucci responded on Sunday, saying in an interview with Axios that if Republicans truly believe their mantra of “country over party” then they may need to come up with a replacement for the top of the ticket in 2020 if Trump can’t reform his behavior.
Scaramucci also compared Trump’s presidency to a slowly building disaster.
“We are now in the early episodes of Chernobyl on HBO, where the reactor is melting down and the apparatchiks are trying to figure out whether to cover it up or start the clean-up process,” Scaramucci said.
As The Hill noted, it would seem very unlikely that the Republican Party would seek to replace Donald Trump on the ticket in 2020. While he has gained primary challenges that include former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, Trump maintains a very high approval rating among Republican voters and would be a far-and-away favorite to win in a Republican primary, should his opponents remain in the race.
But Trump has come under increasing criticism from members of his own party, with a growing number turning on him. Scaramucci is also not the only former White House member to criticize Trump after leaving the administration. Former White House adviser Omarosa Manigault Newman turned into a frequent critic of Trump after she left his administration. The former villain on The Apprentice slammed Donald Trump afterward and accused him of racism.
“It is very clear Donald Trump is a racist and he’s trying to undermine our democracy,” Manigault Newman said in an interview with Hill.TV’s Jamal Simmons.
Scaramucci says Republicans may need to pick a different candidate in 2020.
“We are now in the early episodes of ‘Chernobyl’ … the reactor is melting down & the apparatchiks are trying to figure out whether to cover it up or start the clean-up process.” https://t.co/GpijKdR8Pk
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 12, 2019
Anthony Scaramucci is no stranger to criticizing Trump, however. Before Trump won the Republican nomination, Scaramucci often appeared on Fox Business and criticized the Manhattan real estate mogul, once calling him a “hack,” Business Insider noted.
