About
Dan Scavino has worked for Trump since he was hand-picked to be his caddy at the age of 16. As a member of the administration, he served as deputy chief of staff for communications from 2019–21 and as deputy chief for social media from 2017–21. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Scavino also served as director of social media and was widely criticized for posting an anti-semitic tweet on Trump’s Twitter account that featured a six-pointed star, a pile of cash, and the words “most corrupt candidate ever.”
In his role as general manager of Trump National Golf Club in Westchester, NY, Scavino oversaw the hiring of undocumented migrant workers despite the former president’s hardline stance on illegal immigration. Others in the inner circle describe him as “the conductor of the Trump Train.”
January 6, 2021
- According to Peril, a book by Robert Costa and Bob Woodward, Scavino participated in a discussion with Trump the day before the attack on the Capitol on how to convince members of Congress to prevent certifying Biden’s election. Prior to the March to Save America, he promoted the event on Twitter, encouraging people to come to the rally and “be a part of history.”
- Once various members of Trump’s cabinet and administration resigned after the insurrection, Scavino tweeted: “While cancel culture kicks into high gear, and blacklisting of our names for future employment is underway, stay strong, and we will all prevail!”
- In October 2021, the House Select Committee investigating the attack on the Capitol subpoenaed Scavino to testify. After it took several days for committee officials to track him down, he was presumed to be trying to avoid being served with the subpoena.
- In March 2022, the House Select Committee voted to hold Scavino in contempt of Congress for failing to cooperate with the committee. Speaking about him and fellow Trump aide Peter Navarro, who was also held in contempt, Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said, “They’re not fooling anybody. They are obligated to comply with our investigation. They have refused to do so. And that’s a crime.”
- In a decision Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the committee, called “deeply troubling,” the Justice Department subsequently declined to charge Scavino with contempt of Congress.
- In September 2022, the DOJ issued its own subpoena to Scavino as part of its ongoing investigation of the insurrection.
The Big Lie
- As the only other person besides Trump with access to posting on the @realDonaldTrump Twitter account, Scavino helped shape, promote, and perpetuate the Big Lie. Though Trump famously wrote most of his own tweets, Scavino directed “the overall tone of Trump’s feed, often taking other staffers’ suggestions for tweets and adapting them to ‘Trump it up….’”
- The day after the attack on the Capitol, Scavino tweeted a statement from Trump saying, “I totally disagree with the outcome of the election,” but that he would agree to an orderly transition of power.
Election Audits
- Scavino helped draw attention to the Arizona audit in Maricopa County through various social media posts and resharing of links to the audit’s official page.