Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci has claimed that Russia might hold compromising information on President Donald Trump. He suggested that while Elon Musk’s recent assertions about Trump’s links to Jeffrey Epstein may not be accurate, Russia is likely to have leverage over the president.
The discussion began after a public conflict between Trump and Musk, during which Musk posted on X on June 5, 2025, alleging Trump’s appearance in Epstein’s files, which he claimed hinders their release. Musk later removed the post without explanation.
Scaramucci, who worked with Trump for about eight months during his campaign and transition and served as communications director for 11 days in 2017, commented on these claims during an episode of “The Daily Beast Podcast” on June 10, 2025. He expressed doubt about Musk’s Epstein allegations, noting that such information would likely have surfaced earlier if true.
Instead, Scaramucci proposed that Russian President Vladimir Putin might possess “kompromat,” a term used by intelligence agencies for compromising material used for blackmail, on Trump. He questioned Trump’s submissive stance toward Putin, especially in light of Russia’s economic difficulties and military issues in Ukraine.
Scaramucci speculated that any compromising material on Trump could date back to the 1980s and 1990s, during Trump’s real estate boom. This period aligns with longstanding, unverified allegations about the KGB’s potential recruitment attempts targeting Trump at the time.
He refuted the idea that Trump’s favorable treatment of Putin is due to admiration for authoritarian figures. According to Scaramucci, Trump’s self-interest would typically lead him to assert dominance over foreign leaders. “He would be shoving Putin, but he doesn’t shove Putin because they got something on him,” Scaramucci stated.
The allegations arise amid a publicized fallout between Trump and Musk in recent months. Scaramucci has previously predicted Musk’s quick departure from Trump’s circle, based on his own experiences and Trump’s patterns with associates.
In May 2025, during the UK’s Hay Festival, Scaramucci claimed that Musk considers Trump an idiot, citing Musk’s public criticism of Trump’s trade adviser, Peter Navarro, as evidence. Scaramucci noted that since Navarro and Trump share similar trade views, Musk’s criticism extends to Trump.
Scaramucci has consistently warned of Trump’s detrimental impact on those close to him. He has predicted that cabinet members, including Marco Rubio and Musk, would not endure in their roles, suggesting Trump will eventually “disgrace” everyone in his circle.
The former communications director has also ridiculed other brief Trump associates, such as Vivek Ramaswamy, who left his role as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency on January 19, 2025, before the department’s official establishment. Scaramucci quipped that Ramaswamy’s tenure couldn’t even be measured in “Scaramuccis,” his coined term for a political time unit equivalent to 11 days.
The White House has not commented on Scaramucci’s recent allegations. There is no public evidence supporting the claim that Russia holds compromising material on Trump, and Trump has previously denied working for Russia.
Trump’s interactions with Putin have long been a topic of scrutiny among political observers and intelligence officials. During his presidency and current term, Trump has frequently praised Putin, avoided direct criticism, and minimized concerns about Russian election interference.
Scaramucci’s claims add to a series of public statements from the former aide, who has been a vocal critic of Trump since his 2017 dismissal. These allegations concerning Russian kompromat add a new layer to ongoing discussions about Trump’s relationship with Putin and potential vulnerabilities in U.S. foreign policy.
