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Anthony Scaramucci planned launching public lottery to play golf with Donald Trump before being fired

Document lists five priorities for White House communications staff

Thursday 03 August 2017 08:30 BST
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Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director during a press briefing
Anthony Scaramucci, former White House communications director during a press briefing (AFP)

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Sacked White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci had high hopes for improved relationships with reporters, according to a memo posted online.

The document lists five priorities for the communications staff, including to "Improve the culture" and "Fill the content void”.

In the memo, which emerged on Wednesday, Mr Scaramucci wrote that Donald Trump "can choose to fight with the media, but Comms can not", and even suggested "a constructive 'complaint box' for the media to make complaints”.

Still, the memo points out: "Comms is a Customer Service Operation — POTUS [President of the United States] is the Number One Customer."

It says the office needs to "humanise" Mr Trump and suggests "a national online lottery to play a round of golf with him ... or a charity auction”.

Mr Scaramucci also calls for "video content that constructively operates as 'The President Donald J Trump' show”.

Mr Scaramucci envisions running the communications department "like a news channel with producers, scripts, and narration" that will be able to "dictate the news of the day on most days”.

After his appointment was announced, Mr Scaramucci was vocal about leaks coming out of the White House — even telling a New Yorker reporter he wanted to "kill all the leakers”.

White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci is removed from post

However, his memo is a little more restrained. He wrote: "No more threats about leaking and internal game playing — anyone who takes actions that do not serve the President will be dismissed — period.

“We will eliminate the bad eggs and send a powerful message to the remaining staff that well-intentioned mistakes are acceptable, but misconduct is not."

The memo is dated 30 July, just a day before Mr Scaramucci was ousted by new chief of staff John Kelly. Mr Scaramucci was only named to the position on 21 July.

Mr Scaramucci has confirmed he wrote the memo. It was posted on Medium.com by right-wing media personality and Trump supporter Mike Cernovich.

AP

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