Scaramucci's 250 hours of drama as Trump's communications chief

Washington (CNN)Standing behind a crush of reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Anthony Scaramucci displayed few outward signs his unbridled tenure as President Donald Trump's communications director was about to end.

Hands thrust into his pockets and a new government ID badge strung around his neck, Scaramucci watched stone-faced as Trump offered an effusive welcome to his new chief of staff, John Kelly.
"With a very controversial situation, there's been very little controversy," Trump declared of his incoming top aide's record heading the Department of Homeland Security.

For Scaramucci, who went on a vulgar screed about his senior-most colleagues and vowed to fire his entire staff during his single stormy week on the job, Trump's appreciation for a lack of controversy may have proven ominous.

A few hours later, Scaramucci was facing Kelly in the chief of staff's corner office, learning his West Wing days were over. It was simply the latest chapter in an ongoing soap opera that's shaken Washington norms, leaving administration aides anxious and exhausted as they scramble to adjust to rapid-fire changes in management.

It was a parting just as abrupt as Scaramucci's arrival to the White House 10 days ago, which prompted its own tremors among an anxious administration that's gone six months with few victories. It did little to bolster Trump's claim, made early Monday morning on Twitter, that there is "No WH chaos!" gripping his team.

Instead, it encapsulated the predicament in which Trump now finds himself: embroiled in disorder which he's often fueled himself and with the path to stability passing inescapably through more shakeups and turmoil.

"The days of tolerating bulls--- in this White House are over," one source close to the administration said Monday afternoon, shortly after Scaramucci departed the West Wing. Few believe he'll be the last to go.

Monday surprise

Arriving at work early Monday morning, Scaramucci was prepared to begin in earnest his promised reshuffle of the White House communications team after effectively orchestrating last week's ouster of Reince Priebus as chief of staff.

Instead, he found himself the first victim of Priebus' replacement, a Marine general seeking to impose discipline on a wayward and warring White House staff.

Just before 9:30 a.m. ET, cameras caught the still-employed Scaramucci standing outside the West Wing, using his characteristic hand gestures to punctuate a conversation with Kellyanne Conway, the presidential counselor.