It turns out that Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle played a bigger role at that White House dinner with Anthony Scaramucci last week than we knew. She may have also been the real reason The Mooch had to Scooch so soon.

That fateful White House dinner last week included Scaramucci, Sean Hannity, former Fox News executive Bill Shine and Guilfoyle. At the time, I wrote that I found Guilfoyle’s inclusion odd, given that none of her Trumper colleagues from The Five were there with her.

My suspicions were on target. HuffPost reported that Scaramucci’s shocking rant to Lizza was triggered by a Tweet about Guilfoyle's presence:

A source close to Scaramucci tells me that additionally, Kimberly Guilfoyle, the Fox News host, was there. https://t.co/vMz3lVNP5K

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) July 27, 2017

I had other suspicions, too, which I did not write in public. They seem to have been borne out as well. Apparently, it is fairly public knowledge that Guilfoyle and Scaramucci are “good friends.”

From HuffPost:

Scaramucci realized that the inclusion of Guilfoyle would raise suspicion. He said he was aware that some associates and members of the media were gossiping about his friendship with the Fox host and feared this particular connection would only make matters worse. He said he took it as “an attack.”

Scaramucci strongly denies having a sexual relationship with Guilfoyle. 

[…]

Through a Fox News spokesperson, Guilfoyle said she’s known Scaramucci for years through her work at Fox News and the two are “good friends.”

HuffPost also notes that Scaramucci’s wife filed for divorce in early July, despite being near the end of a pregnancy. Scaramucci did not attend the birth of their child last week.

Today, TMZ said it made some Monday morning Mooch amour inquiries to the White House shortly before The Scooch. “We're told our inquiry circulated among various people in the West Wing,” TMZ reported in an article called, “Anthony Scaramucci White House exit linked to dating rumors.”

"Our sources say, going into Monday morning, Scaramucci was not out, but 'on thin ice.' We're told the President told Scaramucci in no uncertain terms to keep his head low and act professionally."

As you know, Monday was General Kelly's first day as White House Chief of Staff, and our sources say the last thing he and the President wanted was another news cycle on Scaramucci on Kelly's first day.

Watch Guilfoyle discuss her dinner at the White House with Scaramucci, et al. below, from the July 27, 2017 The Five, via Media Matters.

(H/T NewsHound Richard)