Donald Trump's single worst week in office has now leached over into a second week — the eruptions of Anthony Scaramucci, the ouster of chief of staff Reince Priebus, the resignation of press secretary Sean Spicer and the epic failure of his signature campaign issue: the repeal of Obamacare.

And the Mooch was fired just an hour after Mr Trump tweeted, "No WH chaos!"

Trump tragics need not be reminded of the resignation of a national security adviser, the firing of the director of the FBI, the bullying attacks by the President on his own Attorney-General and the career-ends for several senior staff. And the continuing Russia investigation.

Mr Trump as a businessman may well know the value of capital. But he has no understanding on the value of political capital — how it is earned and how it can be expended. And how its loss can derail his political business model.

US President Donald Trump is burning through his political capital at an alarming rate. ( AP: Czarek Sokolowski )

Mr Trump fancies himself as one of the great CEOs of our time — and in his mind, perhaps of all time. But the fact is these antics, if presided over by the CEO of a major listed company in the US, would spur a shareholder revolt and him being ousted by the board of directors.

Mr Scaramucci brought a trading room culture to the Oval Office and polluted it, with the CEO — at least last week — cheering him on. Revulsion if not shame took days to sink in.

The consequences from the tumult shook the halls of the West Wing and rocked the media already drowning in the tsunami of real news from the Oval Office.

But the consequences, however, go far beyond the management travails of this President.

Sorry, this video has expired Scaramucci joins list of top-level Trump appointees to be shown door

The Clinton effect

In global terms, these events evoke what happened to president Bill Clinton in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky affair. The scandal led to a salacious indictment by the special counsel and ultimately his impeachment by the House.

Mr Clinton made a terrible mistake, acted immorally and brought disrepute on himself and his office. It was a scandal that made the White House a laughing stock, whose dirty laundry was ridiculed and satirised throughout the world.

What Mr Clinton suffered, as a result, was an immense loss of political capital that profoundly diminished his ability to lead and shape global events. After his crushing re-election victory in 1996, Mr Clinton stood as a colossus in Washington and around the world.

But two years later, because of his personal indulgence, he was a lonely and haunted figure.

Anthony Scaramucci was in the job for 10 days. ( Reuters: Jonathan Ernst )

While Mr Clinton would end his term as one of the most popular presidents after eight years in office — because of popular reaction to the overreach of Republican attacks — he was left in suspended animation on the world stage.

Most tellingly, Mr Clinton was unable to succeed in closing out his historic bid for Middle East east peace at Camp David. As a result of his scandal, Mr Clinton fell below critical mass in his political capital: Yasser Arafat could say "No" to the president of the United States, and walk away — with impunity — from a historic opportunity for peace between Israel and Palestine.

This is the danger for Mr Trump. Everyone hears him — who can plead deafness? — but fewer are listening seriously. A new Cold War is erupting with Russia, and Vladimir Putin calculates Russia can press its interests because Mr Trump is too weak to reset the relationship.

China is not following Mr Trump's entreaties to do more to pressure North Korea, or alter course in the South China Sea.

The President is spending his political capital at a frightful pace.

America isolated under a weak president

America First, under a powerful president, could be formidable. Under a weakened president, the US is isolated.

Six months in, American leadership of the institutions that ultimately ensured security and prosperity after World War II is decaying. America's alliances are fraying. America's standing around the globe is cratering.

The US is at a strategic disadvantage at the pivotal crisis points. North Korea will be "handled," the President intoned. No-one knows how. But everyone knows about The Mooch.

In the Capitol, Mr Trump's legislative program is moribund.

If Mr Trump were both respected and feared by the party he leads, would John McCain have cast the critical vote to kill the repeal of Obamacare? If Mr Trump can't deliver on seven years of Republican promises to kill Obamacare, how can he enact tax reform?

The CEO in the Oval can persist in his habits and indulgences, and continue frittering away his political capital. But this is costing his presidency dearly.

Bruce Wolpe worked with the Democrats in Congress in President Obama's first term. He is chief of staff to former prime minister Julia Gillard.