Following his former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci’s continued criticism, President-elect Trump referred to him as a “major loser.” Trump’s rebuke came after Scaramucci had a confrontational exchange on CNBC with host Joe Kernen, who questioned Scaramucci’s ongoing critiques of his former boss.
On Monday, Trump responded to the incident on Truth Social, where he praised Kernen for the interview and condemned Scaramucci for his outspoken stance against him. “Anthony Scaramucci is a major loser who was dismissed from the Administration after just 11 days due to his wild ‘brother from another mother’ interview with Chris Cuomo, back when he was on CNN,” Trump posted. “Great job by Joe K.”
In the exchange on CNBC, Kernen confronted Scaramucci, remarking, “You’ve shown outright disdain for Trump, which keeps you in good standing with legacy media as you criticize him. But does it ever occur to you to feel a bit humbled by how out of touch you were with how many Americans feel?”
Scaramucci, who briefly held his position in the administration before his dismissal and who later forecasted a win for Vice President Harris, shot back at Kernen, insisting he had congratulated Trump on his election win.
“What do you want from me? Are you asking me to bow down?” Scaramucci responded. “We disagree strongly about Trump’s personality and approach.” “You have your view of Trump—I worked closely with him and saw some ugly sides. And it’s not just me who feels this way,” Scaramucci added. Kernen noted that Trump’s rise had boosted Scaramucci’s career, remarking that he could benefit from it for years.
“Why don’t you take a breath, Joe,” Scaramucci countered. “We’ve known each other for a long time. Are you saying we can’t disagree on someone’s character?” Scaramucci, one of the former aides who publicly supported Harris, expressed disappointment over Trump’s victory, calling it a “sad day for a lot of people.”
“It’s a sad day for many people, especially for non-white immigrants who feel dehumanized by the rhetoric,” Scaramucci commented in an interview on CNN. He concluded by saying, “I hope Trump, when he assumes leadership again, will take a moment to reflect on the need for unity and healing in the nation.”