Dan Scavino is the White House director of social media. Scavino was appointed to the job in December 2016; Donald Trump said at the time, “I am excited (Scavino and others) will be leading the team that will communicate my agenda that will Make America Great Again.”
On March 18, the president took to social media to complain that his social media director had been “censored” by Facebook. In a post on his own Facebook account, President Trump wrote, “Facebook abruptly censored the account of President Trump’s chief social media guru, blocking him for simply responding to a question from a reader.” #StopTheBias.
Here’s what you need to know about Dan Scavino:
1. Scavino Said Facebook Blocked Him from Responding to Messages on his Own Page & Gave Him No Notice
On Monday afternoon, Scavino posted a screenshot of a message from Facebook which read, “You’re temporarily blocked from making comments on Facebook.” The message from Facebook added that some of Scavino’s comments had been reported as spam, although the message did not say which messages. Scavino wrote:
“Dear Facebook—
AMAZING. WHY ARE YOU STOPPING ME from replying to comments followers have left me – on my own Facebook Page!!?? People have the right to know. Why are you silencing me??? Please LMK! Thanks.”
2. Scavino First Met Trump in 1990 While Working as a Caddy on a Westchester Golf Course
Scavino, 37, first met Donald Trump when he was a teenager working as a caddy in Westchester, a suburb of New York City. The teenage Scavino carried Trump’s clubs and earned a $200 tip. Trump reportedly told the young man, “You are going to work for me one day!” In 2004, Scavino was back at the same golf course, now owned by Trump; Scavino took as job as assistant manager.
In 2014, Scavino told Trump that, if Trump decided to run for president, he wanted a spot in the campaign. And in 2015, the team hired him, first as a fundraiser, and then as a general assistant. In 2016, Trump announced that Scavino would be his social media director.
3. Scavino’s Wife Filed for Divorce in 2018
Scavino and his wife, Jennifer, married in 2000. They have two children together and, according to the New York Times, several Portuguese water dogs. In January 2018, according to the Huffington Post, Jennifer Scavino filed for divorce in Dutchess County, NY, where the couple own a home. Court documents list her as the plaintiff in the divorce. She has not commented publicly on the divorce.
4. Scavino Came Under Fire in 2016 for a Picture He Posted of Hillary Clinton
During the presidential campaign, Scavino posted a photo of Hillary Clinton standing in front of a star of David. He captioned it, “most corrupt candidate ever!” Scavino was attacked for allegedly trying to stir up anti-Semites against Clinton. Scavino responded with a tweet in which he pointed out that his wife’s family is Jewish. He wrote, “For the MSM to suggest that I am antisemite is AWFUL. I proudly celebrate holidays w/ my wife’s amazing Jewish family for the past 16 years.”
5. Scavino Allegedly Oversaw the Hiring of Undocumented Workers at a Trump Golf Course
According to the New York Daily News, Scavino was in charge of daily operations at the Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor. The News reported that Scavino’s duties included hiring immigrants with fake documentation. One former employee named Gabriel Sedano told the Daily News he knew “at least 30” other undocumented workers who worked alongside him. “[Scavino] was involved in the hiring,” Sedano told the paper. “If they needed more people, he would always have to say yes because he was the general manager. Everything went up to him.”