Politico: Scaramucci a Candidate to Replace WH Chief of Staff Priebus

Anthony Scaramucci, just brought in to be White House communications director, is considered to be an internal candidate to eventually succeed Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, Politico is reporting.

The website attributed its information to one White House official and two outside advisers and noted Priebus was strongly opposed to the hiring of Scaramucci in the first place.

"Reince Priebus took the punishing job of President Donald Trump's chief of staff with the idea that he would stick it out for at least one year," wrote Politico's Tara Palmeri.

"Six months in, with one of his top allies in the West Wing — press secretary Sean Spicer — on his way out, Priebus is in defensive mode, his role diminished and an internal rival hogging the limelight."

But Priebus is still hoping to complete his full year in the job, Politico attributed to "people close to him." But it noted his stature in the White House appears to be shrinking.

Scaramucci has said he reports directly to the president.

"In a normal White House, every staffer reports to the chief of staff," Republican strategist Alex Conant told Politico. "Any staffer who believes that they don't report to the chief of staff is going to be a potential headache for the chief of staff."

But Scaramucci maintained Priebus is a "good friend," the The New York Times reported. He described his relationship with Priebus as a brother, one where they "rough each other up."

• White House Won't Rule Out More Departures After Spicer
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