Trump Adviser Dan Scavino Tries and Fails to Start ‘USA! USA!’ Chant Right After WHCA Dinner Shooting — Gets Shushed by Attendees

Sarah RumpfApr 26th, 2026, 1:00 am
 
Dan Scavino yelling at WHCD

Screenshot via X.

President Donald Trump’s longtime adviser and former golf caddy, Dan Scavino, raised eyebrows when he attempted to start a “USA! USA!” chant in the aftermath of shots being fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday evening, being shushed by other attendees.

The annual confab of politicos and journalists erupted in chaos Saturday evening when a gunman fired several shots. Secret Service whisked the president and First Lady Melania Trump out of the room, and all of Trump’s Cabinet members were safely evacuated as well.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen of California, was apprehended and is in custody.

Trump held a press conference in the White House briefing room nearly two hours after the shooting occurred, and took questions from the gathered reporters who had been in attendance at the dinner, still in their gowns and tuxes.

Shortly after the shots rang out, video clips posted by several attendees showed someone calling out “God Bless America!” and then Scavino climbing onto a chair, pumping his fist, and shouting “USA! USA! USA!”

One other person near Scavino halfheartedly attempted to join in but quit almost immediately as other attendees shushed the chant.

Secret Service and other armed law enforcement officers could be seen in the video clips securing the room; it’s possible the lack of enthusiasm for the chant was because people did not wish to interfere with their work.

Puck News politics reporter Peter Hamby posted on X that Scavino had “tried to start” the chant but “absolutely no one wanted to hear it,” “[e]ven Trump folks” — bashing Scavino’s antics as “[t]errible.”

Several other video clips and reactions are below.

—

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!

Tags:
Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.