On Monday, an email prankster published exchanges with a number of Trump administration officials: Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert, Eric Trump, and Long Island’s own Icarus Anthony Scaramucci. The prankster posed as Reince Priebus, Jared Kushner, Huntsman, and Donald Trump Jr. To imitate Kushner he used the word “soiree”; to mimic Huntsman, he acted like a ruthless operator: “Who’s [sic] head should roll first?” The most notable exchanges, though, are between Scaramucci and the fake Priebus, whose real public feud culminated with both of them leaving the White House.
“I had promised myself I would leave my hands mud free,” wrote the Priebus prankster, “but after reading your tweet today which stated how; ‘soon we will learn who in the media who has class, and who hasn’t’, has pushed me to this. That tweet was breathtakingly hypocritical, even for you. At no stage have you acted in a way that’s even remotely classy, yet you believe that’s the standard by which everyone should behave towards you? General Kelly will do a fine job. I’ll even admit he will do a better job than me. But the way in which that transition has come about has been diabolical. And hurtful. I don’t expect a reply.”
Scaramucci replied: “You know what you did. We all do. Even today. But rest assured we were prepared. A Man would apologize.”
Fake Priebus responded: “I can’t believe you are questioning my ethics! The so called ‘Mooch’, who can’t even manage his first week in the White House without leaving upset in his wake. I have nothing to apologize for.”
Scaramucci responded: “Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there. My family is fine by the way and will thrive. I know what you did. No more replies from me.”
This is insane, and suggests that the Scaramucci-Priebus feud was closer to a blood vendetta, at least from Scaramucci’s point of view. Is Scaramucci suggesting that Priebus is an Iago in midwestern clothing? And who is Scaramucci in this bizarre analogy? Othello? (He strikes me as more of a Roderigo.)
But as bonkers as these emails are, the craziest thing about this story is that Eric Trump was the only person who didn’t fall for them.