New communication director Anthony Scaramucci was caught on a hot microphone between appearances on the morning news shows on Sunday.
According to BuzzFeed, Scaramucci was between interviews with Fox News, CNN and CBS News when he was caught talking about his thought process while taking the podium at Friday's press briefing.
“In the back of my mind I have to call on CNN and send a message to [CNN President Jeff] Zucker that we are back in business,” Scaramucci said, according to a transcript.
He went on to call Zucker someone who “helped me get the job by hitting those guys.” He was referring to the three staffers who resigned after posting a story on Russia and Scaramucci.
He joked that Zucker isn't "getting a placement fee" for ensuring Scaramucci got the job. He also revealed that he specifically called on CNN's Sara Murray during the briefing because he wants to "deescalate the tensions across the entire media spectrum."
“Breitbart would be on the right and CNN would be on the left," he said. "I intentionally sought out both to send a symbolic message that we are trying to deescalate.”
Scaramucci told the site that President Donald Trump believes 97 percent of what appears on CNN about him is "decidedly negative" and the White House intends to change that.
In past appearances on CNN, Trump aide Kellyanne Conway has alleged that the network doesn't report positive stories about Trump.
Speaking to CNN Washington Bureau chief Sam Feist on the phone after his interview with Jake Tapper, Scaramucci said “I love you, man,” however, he wanted to have an "honest conversation."
Before speaking with Feist, the transcript revealed that he boasted about the new job and his ability to navigate the briefing room.
The president has repeatedly attacked CNN for being "fake news" and seems obsessed with the network. It is unclear why, but some think it has to do with Trump's obsession with loyalty and the friendship he and the CNN network head once had.
"Let’s make no mistake, we’re seeing this coordinating campaign by Trump and his allies to tear down news outlets they don’t like, news outlets that are trying to hold them accountable," said CNN's Brian Stelter following Trump's notorious tweet attacking CNN. "It happens to be CNN today. It happens to be NBC on Trump’s mind today. It will be others as well. It’s been others in the past, others in the future."
