White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino on Saturday tried to start a “USA” chant after a shooting left guests shaken at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
Scavino, who was among several top administration officials inside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton, attempted to light the torch on a made-for-MAGA moment after someone in the crowd shouted “God bless America.”
“USA! USA!” said Scavino while climbing over seating moments after President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance were whisked away from the head table by U.S. Secret Service.
Video appears to show at least one woman awkwardly keeping the chant going before it was eventually shushed into silence by the alarmed crowd, most of whom were crouching toward the floor as law enforcement officers surveilled the scene from the event stage.
Puck News’ Peter Hamby wrote in a post to X that “absolutely no one wanted to hear” the chant, including “Trump folks,” before simply describing Scavino’s attempt as “terrible.”
