How Trump made life in America worse for everyone but him
Anthony Scaramucci, communications director for Donald Trump during his first term in office, tells The News Agents how Trump did not (as promised) ‘drain the swamp’, and instead turned America into something much worse.
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Donald Trump has always promised to 'drain the swamp', and alongside 'drill, baby, drill', it has been a repeated slogan of the MAGA political project.
But under Trump's second presidency, instead of draining any swamps, he has instead spent his time invading the Middle East, building ballrooms and making himself much, much richer.
Anthony Scaramucci, who served as Trump's communications director during his first term, tells The News Agents Trump's second presidency has done the very opposite of what he promises every time he takes to a podium.
"It's no longer a swamp in my mind, it is a gold-plated hot tub," Scaramucci tells Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel.
"He has changed the swamp into something that is way worse and way more garish.
"He's used the presidency to make money for himself and his family shamelessly, and in an overtly corrupt manner. What he's done is absolutely disgusting."
He says Trump has created a "two-tier" society where working-class Americans can never achieve the wealth, status and security of the elite.
"They're never going to be able to get ahead because he's got a feeding funnel for his corrupt cronies at the top," Scaramucci says.
"It's hurt the fabric of the society, now he's laughing his way to the bank.
"The next president has a playbook of power from Donald Trump."
He says the Trump mentality may see future presidents further subverting the system to benefit their personal bank balances.
Trump's promise of £5,000 to every American if he 'wins' in the November midterms, Scaramucci says, is yet another lie to voters.
"The two thirds that hate him are laughing about it," Scaramucci says.
"But there's a group of people that actually not only believe it, they'll likely show up and vote as a result of it."
Scaramucci himself has been tipped as a future presidential candidate.
There's just one problem with that prospect, he tells The News Agents – no party would want him.
“Could I run as a Democrat?” Scaramucci asks.
“They hate my guts because I once worked for Trump. Could I run as a Republican? These guys are all nuts in the primaries.”
The cost of running as an independent, he estimates, to break the stranglehold of America's two-party system, would be in the region of $500 million.
"Now that would be a very hard undertaking," he says.