The Latest: Scaramucci steps back from 'colorful language'
By Associated Press
Jul 27, 2017 5:55 PM CDT
White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci speaks to members of the media at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)   (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci and his complaints about White House leaks to the news media (all times local):

6:50 p.m.

The White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, is speaking out after an expletive-laced interview, saying he sometimes uses "colorful language" and pledging to refrain.

The interview appears on the website of The New Yorker magazine. In it, an angry Scaramucci uses expletives to accuse White House chief of staff Reince Priebus of being a "paranoid schizophrenic." He also accuses White House chief strategist Steve Bannon of trying to burnish his own reputation.

Scaramucci later tweeted, in part: "I sometimes use colorful language. I will refrain in this arena but not give up the passionate fight" for President Donald Trump's agenda.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says she has nothing to add to Scaramucci's tweet.

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3:10 p.m.

The White House's chief spokeswoman is dodging a question about whether the president has full confidence in his embattled chief of staff, Reince Priebus (ryns PREE'-bus).

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders won't say for sure. But she repeats an often-used line that the president would dismiss him if he didn't have full confidence.

She also says the president has purposely brought together senior staffers who have a "lot of different perspectives" to foster "healthy competition."

She adds, "this isn't group think," and says that works best.

White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci suggested in a late-night tweet Wednesday that Priebus has been leaking to the media.

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8:10 a.m.

The president's new communications director is doubling down on his complaints of leaks within the White House.

Anthony Scaramucci tells CNN's "New Day" that sometimes administration officials "leak things to reporters to help shape policy."

But he says he wants to stop what he calls "nefarious, unnecessary, backstabbing, palace intrigue-like leaks."

Scaramucci tweeted about leaks late Wednesday and mentioned the Twitter handle of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus. That tweet has since been deleted.

Asked what he meant by including Priebus, Scaramucci says, "If Reince wants to explain he's not the leaker, he can do that."

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6:49 a.m.

Newly-appointed White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci has promised to contact investigators over what he says is an illegal leak of his financial disclosure form. The comment came in a since-deleted tweet that mentioned the Twitter handle of White House chief of staff Reince Priebus.

Scaramucci tweeted Wednesday night: "In light of the leak of my financial disclosure info which is a felony, I will be contacting @FBI and the @JusticeDept #swamp @Reince45." After removing the tweet, Scaramucci denied that it was a threat to Priebus, writing that the deleted tweet was "was public notice to leakers that all Sr Adm officials are helping to end illegal leaks."

Politico reported earlier Wednesday on the former Wall Street financier's financial holdings. The report was based off of Scaramucci's financial disclosure form.

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