Ask any person walking down the street if they have ever heard of White House Social Media Director Dan Scavino, and the answer will almost certainly be “No” — an answer that is likely to bring a smile to Scavino’s face.
Scavino, 44, has been a critical component of President Donald Trump’s success dating back to the launch of Trump’s presidential campaign in 2015 all the way through to today, where he serves in a top post in the administration, and has an office just outside the Oval Office.
Scavino, who avoids the spotlight and avoids talking to the media, has been described by multiple senior White House officials as Trump’s most trusted adviser, not including Trump’s own family. The officials indicated that Scavino’s sense of justice, loyalty to the president, and selfless nature were all key factors in his becoming a member of Trump’s inner and most trusted circle.
Scavino first met Trump when he was in high school working as a caddie at the Briar Hall Country Club in New York’s Hudson Valley in 1990.
Scavino, 16 at the time, was handpicked to be Trump’s caddie, and to this day, Scavino has the very first gratuity tip that Trump gave him: two one-hundred dollar bills. Later that day, Trump told Scavino, “You are going to work for me one day.”
After staying in touch with Trump over the years, Scavino joined the Trump campaign in 2015 once the mogul decided to declare his candidacy.
Those closest to the campaign painted a picture of a hardworking and low-key person who would go the extra mile to make sure that the message that Trump wanted to be communicated to the American public was being effectively delivered through Trump’s social media channels.
Former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks, who left the administration for a period of time and is now returning, told The New York Times that Scavino was “the conductor of the Trump Train.”
Former senior Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller remarked on the importance of Scavino to Trump’s victory in 2016, saying, “You could make the case that without Dan fulfilling his core mission of conveying the excitement, people wouldn’t have realized that they were part of a movement. It was absolutely critical in encouraging people to turn out.”
While on the campaign, Scavino worked with donors, courted the Republican National Committee (RNC), served as a photographer, helped coordinate the campaign’s messaging, and managed Trump’s social media accounts.
Scavino is the co-mastermind behind Trump’s Twitter account, which Trump sees as his very “own printing press” that he can use to “knock the crap out of people.”
White House officials told The Daily Wire that Scavino has “been in the room more than any other person except for the president,” and that one of his keys to surviving in the White House is his general likability, as well as the fact that he has made no enemies within the administration.
One White House official, who works directly with Scavino, said that he has a better pulse on the news cycle and understands Trump’s base more than anyone else in the administration.
“When I was running, I knew that Hillary had 28 people – and I had Dan. … They used to say that we ran an unsophisticated campaign,” Trump told Politico in an interview. “And after we won, they said we ran one of the most sophisticated campaigns ever.”
A senior White House official took a shot at failed Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg while praising Scavino.
“Bloomberg tried to replicate with hundreds of millions of dollars what Scavino does everyday,” the official said. “There’s nobody that’s been more effective in relaying the president’s message while standing by the president’s side for the last four years.”
Another senior White House official credited Scavino with being the driving force behind growing Trump’s social media accounts to the point that the president reaches hundreds of millions of people every day without needing to go through a heavily biased left-wing media.
“Dan is an honest broker who is there to serve the president and the country, not his own agenda,” the official said, adding that Scavino “appreciates the magnitude, impact, and responsibility of the role,” which includes making the administration “the first digital-driven presidency.”
Republicans in Congress and other top officials in the administration also recognize the vital role that Scavino has played in advancing Trump’s agenda and in helping push things along behind the scenes.
Sergio Gor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Senator Rand Paul, told The Daily Wire, “There are few people who are truly indispensable within the White House, and Dan is one of them. He is talented and truly essential to the success of our mission, and yet is one of the most humble individuals in Washington. Dan Scavino is matched by very few for his continued contributions to the success of the America First movement.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) told The Daily Wire, “Dan Scavino is a MAGA social media Swiss Army Knife. He operationalizes the president’s voice and sharpens the message with great effectiveness and more than a dash of humor.”
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) told The Daily Wire, “Dan Scavino is one of the hardest working people in Washington with the important task of helping the President of the United States communicate with our entire country, and oftentimes to people all around the world. He does his job with remarkable ease and has been a trailblazer along the way in pursuing new and effective ways to deliver key messages.”
U.S. Ambassador to Germany and Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell told The Daily Wire, “There are certain people who can work under pressure but never show it, and who always take the time to be a kind human being while under that pressure. It’s very rare in Washington, but Dan Scavino is that person.”
Former Senior White House adviser Cliff Sims described Scavino as the “beating heart” of Trump’s agenda, saying that he is “a total legend.”
“He’s been in the room for many of the most consequential moments of our lifetime, always supporting the president and his agenda 100 percent,” Sims said. “And he never looks to get credit or grab the spotlight. He’s there to serve the president and the country.”
Former White House official and top GOP strategist Andrew Surabian said that Scavino has been a “loyal soldier,” fighting for the president and his agenda ever since Trump came down the escalator at Trump Tower in 2015 to announce his presidential campaign.
Trump’s family also recognizes how important Scavino has been in Trump’s success and appreciates his genuine friendship.
“Dan has been with us from the very beginning,” Donald Trump Jr. told The Daily Wire. “He’s just one of those friends you can always depend on. The president has used social media to forever change the way political leaders communicate directly to the people. History will remember Dan for the important role he played in that communications revolution as well.”
Former senior White House adviser Sebastian Gorka told The Daily Wire that Scavino was the “master of social media messaging,” and is “one of the hardest working patriots I’ve ever known.”