July 21 (UPI) — A shake-up involving multiple members of President Donald Trump‘s communications and legal staff appears to be on the horizon.
Anthony Scaramucci will be named White House communications director on Friday, Axios reported, citing unnamed sources. Scaramucci was set to meet with Trump about the role Friday morning.
Scaramucci, a Republican donor and former Wall Street hedge fund owner, will replace Mike Dubke, who resigned in May.
Trump left the position open, and has frequently complained to friends about the performance of the White House press operation, Axios reported.
Since Dubke left, Sean Spicer has served as press secretary and filled the role of communications director. Another source told NBC News that Spicer will remain at the White House, and that Scaramucci’s arrival should be seen as a strengthening of the White House staff and not a demotion for Spicer.
Scaramucci, formerly of SkyBridge Capital, works at the Export-Import Bank. He supported Trump in the 2016 presidential campaign after first supporting candidates Scott Walker and Jeb Bush. He appears on Fox News frequently as a defender of the president.
There appears to be turnover in Trump’s legal team, as well.
Marc Kasowitz, Trump’s personal attorney, will recede in his role, according to multiple sources. Kasowitz has been Trump’s lead attorney in the Russia investigation. Attorneys John Dowd and Jay Sekulow will take over the lead in the probe, CNN reported.
Mark Corallo, the president’s legal team spokesman who’s been in the job for two months, is stepping aside Friday.
The staff shake-up comes as Trump’s lawyers work to confine special counsel Robert Mueller‘s investigation of Russia’s involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign. Politico reported that Corallo has grown frustrated with his role and is a supporter of Mueller’s.
Friday’s news also follows reports that the president is taking issue with the possibility that Mueller might examine his family’s private finances.
In an interview with The New York Times Wednesday, Trump said such an inquiry would constitute a “violation.” The Washington Post reported Friday that Trump has inquired about his pardon authority — including, perhaps, his ability to pardon himself.
