'I delivered Trump speech to 40m people and thought it went well – then got terrifying phone call'
'I delivered Trump speech to 40m people and thought it went well – then got terrifying phone call'
Daniel WindhamMon, September 14, 2026 at 7:49 AM UTC
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President Donald Trump -Credit:Getty Images
Anthony Scaramucci has recalled the moment he realised a high-profile appearance at the White House had landed him in serious trouble with Donald Trump.
The businessman, who served as Trump's communications director for just 11 days in 2017, has opened up about his brief and turbulent time in the administration.
Scaramucci, 62, has now reflected on the mistakes he made while working for the then-new president, including one decision that left him facing an alarming warning almost immediately after appearing in front of millions of viewers. It comes after an expert has claimed that Melania Trump was 'making millions' from a deal with Donald as she snubbed an event.
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The former White House official said between 30 and 40 million people watched his press conference, which he believed had gone successfully.
“Next came my press conference. Probably 30 or 40 million people watched it, and you can still watch it today, on YouTube. If you do, you'll see it goes very well,” he writes in his new book All the Wrong Moves.
But Scaramucci said his assessment could not have been further from Trump's.
The businessman served as Trump's communications director for just 11 days in 2017 -Credit:Internet Unknown
“It doesn't go well. Not at all,” he writes. He recalled appearing confident as he addressed the resignation of Sean Spicer, praised Reince Priebus and answered questions from journalists.
“I'm articulate. I handle the Spicer resignation and say nice things about Priebus. I'm answering the press's questions. I'm reasonably telegenic. I'm saying good things about Trump.”
However, he said the positive attention was precisely what had caused the problem.
“Trump doesn't like any of that. There's one spotlight. It's a one-man show. The better I do, the worse I'm doing, but I don't get that.”
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Scaramucci then described receiving a phone call from an operative on Capitol Hill as he returned upstairs following the press conference.
The warning was stark: “You can't talk like that from the White House, telling the truth to the American people. Everyone here is upset about that. You're getting too much attention. You're talking in complete sentences. Trump's gonna fucking fire you. Be careful.”
Scaramucci said the experience convinced him not to hold another press conference -Credit:AFP/Getty Images
Scaramucci said the experience convinced him not to hold another press conference, but he later realised that his fundamental mistake had been failing to understand Trump's expectations of him.
He believes his communication style, which had worked during the presidential campaign, became a problem once Trump entered the White House.
During the campaign, Scaramucci said he had been comfortable openly challenging Trump when he believed he was making a bad decision.
“During the campaign, when I thought Trump was doing something stupid, I'd say, ‘This is f****** stupid.’ And he would look at me and say, ‘Well, why is it stupid?’”
Scaramucci said Trump had even told Jared Kushner that he reminded him of his father, Fred Trump, because he was outspoken and had built his own career.
But the dynamic changed once Trump became president.
The dynamic changed once Trump became president -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
“When I got to the White House, I kept talking to him like that. Right away, I now see, it irritated the hell out of him,” Scaramucci writes.
“He was president of the United States. He expected to be flattered with total obsequiousness by everybody he talked to. I didn't see it then.”
He eventually avoided another press conference, but continued appearing on television over the following weekend – a decision he now believes made matters worse.
“The attention got me in more trouble with Trump.”
All the Wrong Moves by Anthony Scaramucci is published by Bodley Head on September 17, priced at £25.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
