The Mooch back in good graces?

President Donald Trump publicly derided reports Tuesday that chaos is engulfing the West Wing, but in private, the man who thrives on discord seems to be sowing some of it himself.

The President has emboldened Anthony Scaramucci, the boisterous former communications director who was fired after just 10 days, to continue attacking White House chief of staff John Kelly during his cable news appearances, a source familiar with the situation told CNN.

In multiple television segments, Scaramucci has faulted Kelly for the "terrible morale" in the West Wing, at times referring to him as "General Jackass" and suggesting he apologize for his handling of the Rob Porter resignation. According to this source, the President is aware of Scaramucci's criticisms and has not discouraged him from making them. Sources familiar with his thinking say Scaramucci is frustrated with Kelly because he has limited the former communications director's White House access.

"I like conflict. I like having two people with two points of view," Trump said Tuesday when asked about internal strife during a news conference. "I like watching it, I like seeing it."

The outside attacks come amid days of discord inside the White House, underscored Tuesday evening by the departure of Gary Cohn, Trump's chief economic adviser. The President heralded Cohn as "a rare talent" in a statement announcing his departure, but his ouster comes in the midst of a fractious debate inside the White House over imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Trump opted to go with tariffs over opposition from Cohn...

According to conversations with a dozen Trump advisers inside and outside the White House, little has happened to change the feeling of malaise that has settled into the West Wing. Morale, many of these advisers said, remains low, with few signs of turning around.