Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci harshly criticized President Donald Trump's retrofitted Qatari Air Force One jet during a Friday interview with Alex Wagner on 'Runaway Country.' The discussion centered on recent reports that Trump was forced to switch planes while returning from the NATO summit in Turkey.
Scaramucci Calls Out 'Trump Effect'
Wagner noted that Trump, who has called himself 'no. 1 on the kill list for Iran,' might think the situation is 'kind of cool.' Scaramucci agreed, saying, 'Yes, he’s trying to make it sound cool. That is part of his brand, you know, the ‘fight fight fight’ when the shots were fired in Butler, are all part of his brand, and I get that, and he’s very good at disassociating himself.'
Scaramucci theorized that the Qatari jet debacle is another example of the 'Trump effect.' 'All of it is tied into each other, and the plane is an example of that, right? It’s an unfinished plane. We have an unfinished, fractured East Wing. We have an unfinished, now, reflecting pool. And so this is Donald Trump. If he touches it, it’s gonna turn to dogshit,' he said.
Security Concerns vs. Branding
Wagner pointed out that two brand new Air Force One jets are being constructed with the security needed to protect the president. 'He just rushed the Qatari jet because I guess there’s like lie-flat seats and warm nuts available right after takeoff or whatever,' Wagner said. 'But the reality is, it’s a security concern.'
Trump denied the swap was due to security concerns on Wednesday, claiming instead that he wanted to show off the newly renovated plane to troops stationed in the United Kingdom. However, The New York Times first reported on Wednesday that the swap was due to Secret Service security concerns amid renewed tensions with Iran. Trump switched back to the retrofitted Qatari jet once in the U.K., using it for the remaining trip to the U.S.
