Dan Scavino, a longtime Trump ally currently serving as White House deputy chief of staff, will take over the Presidential Personnel Office, becoming the ultimate decision-maker on who may serve in the administration, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.
Scavino will head the office, which is responsible for recruiting and vetting 4,000 political appointment positions across the federal government, including 1,600 that require Senate confirmation.
He will replace Sergio Gor, whom Trump recently nominated to serve as ambassador to India.
Scavino is considered one of Trump’s closest advisers, having been part of Trump’s political journey since 2015, when he announced his first run for president. During Trump’s first term, Scavino served in various communication roles in the White House.
Referring to Scavino as one of Trump’s “most trusted and longest-serving advisors,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Scavino’s job change in a statement.
“There is nobody better to ensure the President’s Administration is staffed with the most qualified, competent, and America First-driven workers. There is much still to be done and Dan’s leadership will ensure the highest quality, most dedicated workforce ever,” Leavitt said.
The head of the Presidential Personnel Office is a powerful role, particularly in the Trump administration, when the president has made loyalty a defining characteristic of his team.
In it, Scavino will have a say in who may be considered for a role and whether their loyalty to Trump is enough to serve alongside the president. Scavino’s display of loyalty to the president may serve as a benchmark for those considered for roles. He has remained by Trump’s side through his tumultuous political career, including after the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
A source familiar with Scavino’s hiring told Axios that Scavino will “scrutinize the current staff and personnel changes that happen as the office transitions to a new leadership and structure.”
The job change announcement arrives just days after Trump said he would nominate Gor to serve as an ambassador.
Gor has recently faced scrutiny from former Trump advisor and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who called Gor a “snake.”
Musk was reportedly angry with Gor for prompting Trump to withdraw the nomination of Jared Issacman, a close friend of Musk, as the next NASA administrator. Gor reportedly developed a grudge against Musk after the Tesla CEO “humiliated” him in front of other cabinet members, the New York Post reported.
