Scaramucci vows to take 'drastic action' to stop White House leaks

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Scaramucci talks Trump's agenda, relationship with the press

Scaramucci talks Trump's agenda, relationship with the press

Anthony Scaramucci, the new White House communications director, said Sunday that stopping damaging West Wing leaks is a top priority and that he will take “drastic action" to achieve that goal.

“We have to get the leaks stopped,” Scaramucci, named Friday to the post, told “Fox News Sunday.” “What’s going on right now is a high level of unprofessionalism, and it’s not helping the president. … I will take drastic action to stop the leaks.”

Trump’s roughly 7-month-old presidency has been mired in the controversy about Russia meddling in the 2016 White House race and whether Trump associates were involved.

The controversy has been fueled in part by information leaked inside and outside of the White House.

Scaramucci on Sunday said he would “pare down the staff” to stop White House leaks, but made clear that such efforts will be limited to the communication office and that he wants to start anew.

“As far as I’m concerned, there will be a new start for everybody on the team,” said Scaramucci, whose appointment as communications director forced the resignation of Sean Spicer, who had held that post.

Scaramucci, a former Wall Street executive, acknowledged that he could never change Washington culture and stop the leaks coming from federal agencies within an administration.

He also said the mainstream media still has a “level of objectivity,” but allowed that so-called “fake news” exists to the extent “some individuals ... do stretch stories.”

Scaramucci dismissed talk about Trump preparing to pardon people in an effort to stop the Russia investigations or perhaps protect himself, saying, “He has no one to pardon. He hasn’t done anything wrong.”

He also defended the recent deleting of tweets that appeared critical of Trump or that presented liberal views, saying his new role is non-political so he didn’t want them to be a distraction.