Krauthammer says Bannon pulled a ‘classic Scaramucci’ to get fired

Conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer has a word to describe former chief strategist Steve Bannon’s departure from the White House: “Scaramucci-ed.”

“The fact is he gave this interview to the American Prospect, after which you cannot remain in the White House,” Krauthammer said on Fox News Friday. “That was a machine-gun attack on everybody else in the White House and it was a take down of two of the president’s major positions: North Korea and trade with China.”

“That was a classic Scaramucci, and it proves that you don’t have to use profane language to be Scaramucci-ed,” he continued.

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Krauthammer’s comments were a reference to former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired late last month following an profanity-ridden interview with the New Yorker, in which he ridiculed former chief of staff Reince Priebus, as well as Bannon. 

Scaramucci had served in the White House for only 10 days before he forced out by current chief of staff John Kelly.

In a wide-ranging interview with the American Prospect, a progressive magazine, Bannon dismissed the notion of preemptive military action against North Korea, upending President Trump’s claim that he would unleash “fire and fury” on the reclusive country if it continued to threaten the U.S.

He also ridiculed political opponents and vowed to shake up staffing at the State and Defense Departments. 

News of Bannon’s departure broke Friday. In an interview with the conservative Weekly Standard, the former chief strategist said that he had always planned on resigning and told Trump and Kelly earlier this month that Monday would be his last day.

He said he remained on throughout the week, however, because of growing political backlash over Trump’s comments on Charlottesville, Va. 

Still, Bannon’s future in the White House has long been uncertain. The former chief strategist is said to have clashed often with the president’s other advisers, including national security adviser H.R. McMaster and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.