Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci told CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota that she was being “sanctimonious” during a tense interview Friday on “New Day” about White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders leaving the administration.
“She did a great job,” Scaramucci said of Sanders. “I know people have mixed views of her in places like this. But I love her and think she did a great job and she is as an honest broker.”
“Do you think so?” Camerota asked. “She admitted in the Mueller report that she lied.”
{mosads}“It’s very tough, Alisyn,” said Scaramucci, who briefly served as communications director in 2017.
“That’s not being an honest broker to me,” Camerota responded.
“You’re looking for purity,” Scaramucci replied before being cut off.
”I’m looking for honesty. Can’t we count on the press secretary to be honest?” Camerota asked.
“Don’t be sanctimonious,” Scaramucci shot back.
“You don’t think that the American public should count on the White House press secretary to be honest?” Camerota asked.
“I would tell you to the best of her capability and best of her intent in each and every situation she absolutely tried to do that,” Scaramucci said. “Did she make mistakes? Did she say things that she wanted to course correct? No question. Tell me a person in our civilization that hasn’t had to do that in their life.”
“Don’t be sanctimonious,” Scaramucci shot back.
“You don’t think that the American public should count on the White House press secretary to be honest?” Camerota asked.
“I would tell you to the best of her capability and best of her intent in each and every situation she absolutely tried to do that,” Scaramucci said. “Did she make mistakes? Did she say things that she wanted to course correct? No question. Tell me a person in our civilization that hasn’t had to do that in their life.”
Sanders’s departure comes as the once-daily White House press briefing has ceased to exist. The last time Sanders held a press briefing was almost 100 days ago.
President Trump praised Sanders in a series of tweets Thursday to his more than 61 million followers.
“After 3 1/2 years, our wonderful Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be leaving the White House at the end of the month and going home to the Great State of Arkansas,” he wrote. “She is a very special person with extraordinary talents, who has done an incredible job! I hope she decides to run for Governor of Arkansas — she would be fantastic. Sarah, thank you for a job well done!”
A replacement for Sanders has not been named.