Anthony Scaramucci says the U.S. was built by “risk-taking immigrants” and will never be a country where everyone is safe and happy.
In a wide-ranging and candid podcast hosted by Norwegian Reitan Retail CEO Ole Robert Reitan, SkyBridge Capital CEO laid bare his views on President Donald Trump, the decline of the American Dream and why he believes systemic reform—not idealistic expectations—is the only way forward for the U.S.
A Country Of Immigrants, Not A Welfare State
“The United States is risk-taking immigrants that arrive penniless,” Scaramucci said. “They’re gambling. They’re pushing themselves. They’re taking risks. They’re throwing the ball.”
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He contrasted that mindset with what he saw in Norway, a country he praised for its social cohesion and low crime. But, he said, America was never built to make everyone safe and happy.
“If there’s not a lot of want in a society, then people don’t take the risks of doing things that are wrong,” he said of Norway. “But if you’re hurting, you’re like, ‘Okay, I’m going to go steal from that drugstore or I’m going to go rob that person’s car.'”
Trump, Integrity And The 11 Days
Scaramucci spoke in detail about his short-lived tenure in Trump’s first-term White House, saying it was driven by ego and pride. During that time, he missed the birth of his son, his wife filed for divorce, and he became the subject of intense media ridicule.
“I made that decision based on my pride and my ego,” he told Reitan. “And when you make decisions based on your pride and ego, you usually make a disastrous decision.”
He said his wife, who strongly opposed Trump, warned him not to take the job. “She’s half Norwegian and she’s half Italian, so she can beat the shit out of me in hot and cold weather,” he joked.
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Scaramucci also called Trump dishonest and dangerous, claiming his political power stems from exploiting people’s economic despair. “Like or dislike him, he saw that,” Scaramucci said to Reitan. “Unfortunately, he didn’t do anything with it. If anything, he’s actually harmed those people.”
A Broken System Built For The Rich
Scaramucci criticized both political parties but saved his harshest criticism for systemic dysfunction. He pointed to gerrymandering, corporate influence after Citizens United, and the erosion of equal opportunity.
“If you grow up in a rich neighborhood in the United States, you get a very good public school education. If you grow up in an inner city, forget it,” he told Reitan.
“We have food in the country that is literally like eating poison,” he added, blaming big food lobbyists and compliant lawmakers. “The politicians said, ‘No problem. Let’s do that because we’re getting the money from the big food companies.'”
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Can The U.S. Be Fixed?
Despite the grim assessment, Scaramucci remained hopeful.
“Don’t mistake silence for apathy,” he said. “There’s a lot of people that I’m talking to at very, very senior levels around the country that are looking for ways to fix this.”
He told Reitan the solution lies in structural reform, not waiting for a morally upright leader to come along.
“You’re going to have good and bad people in politics, just like you’re going to have good and bad neighbors,” Scaramucci said. “You’re not going to be able to wait out Trump and hope the next person is better. It’s not enough.”
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