Dan Scavino deepfake video — Sep 2026

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino faced intense criticism from both political opponents and fellow Republicans after posting AI-generated videos depicting himself and other political figures in lavish party settings. The posts, shared during a period of economic hardship for many Americans, were widely condemned as tone-deaf and out of touch with the public.

What happened

Dan Scavino shared an AI-generated video on social media showing himself in a tuxedo, spraying champagne alongside Erin Elmore, Lara Trump, and Eric Trump. The video depicted the group being pushed on a gold luggage cart through the White House while gold confetti fell and President Donald Trump entered the scene. Scavino framed the post as an act of transparency regarding post-State Dinner activities, explicitly noting it was not intended to provoke political opponents.

The reaction was immediate and negative, extending beyond Democratic critics to include conservative activists and commentators. Critics highlighted the contrast between the opulent imagery and the struggles of everyday Americans facing a cost-of-living crisis, inflation, and high gas prices. Conservative activist Carrie Prejean Boller questioned Scavino’s lack of shame, while commentator Meghan McCain and editor Jonah Goldberg also criticized the messaging as damaging to the Republican party's midterm prospects.

Rather than retracting the content, Scavino leaned into the controversy by sharing a second AI-generated video. This clip depicted President Trump, Elon Musk, Marco Rubio, and other officials partying with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Scavino accompanied this second post with a comment acknowledging the content was AI-generated while dismissing the backlash from those he labeled as "nutters." The incident occurred as the administration faced low approval ratings and polling data suggesting a difficult path for the party in the upcoming midterm elections.