
Trump’s Social Media Director Just Got Caught Tweeting Fake News—And We Aren’t Surprised
By Mustafa GatollariUpdated
Trump may accuse a lot of news outlets as being "fake," but a recent tweet from his social media director has a lot of people using the term, as well.
That's right: a member of Trump's staff tweeted out a factually incorrect tweet regarding Hurricane Irma.
Dan Scavino Jr., Trump's social media director sent out a video that he claimed was footage of an inundated Miami International Airport in the midst of the hurricane.
Scavino Jr. wrote in the now deleted tweet: "Sharing #HurricaneIrma on social media with President @realDonaldTrump and @VP Pencehourly. Here is Miami International Airport. Stay safe!!" - but there was just one problem. It wasn't Miami International Airport.
Reps from the airport went on Twitter to quickly confirm that Scavino Jr.'s tweet was wrong.
This video is not from Miami International Airport.
— Miami Int'l Airport (@iflymia) September 10, 2017
Scavino Jr. didn't own up to the mistake and instead chalked it up to not verifying the tons of videos people were sending to him of footage. When in doubt, blame the public, I guess.
Thank you. It was among 100s of videos/pics I am receiving re: Irma from public. In trying to notify all, I shared - have deleted. Be safe!
— Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) September 10, 2017
Miami International Airport's official account thanked Scavino Jr. for clarifying that it was a mix-up.
Thanks, Dan.
— Miami Int'l Airport (@iflymia) September 10, 2017
But the rest of Twitter wasn't in a hurry to let his error go.
Some pointed out the obvious fact that it's his job to properly vet materials before posting them online. The fact that he's tweeting unverified source material is troubling, to say the least.
You would hope that the "White House Director of Social Media" would know better about authenticating videos before sharing them with POTUS pic.twitter.com/TTourdnZuO
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) September 10, 2017
You have a duty to 'verify' before sharing. Literally your job. Your improperly punctuated Tweet skips over that. Not okay.
— CindyWheeler (@cincity631) September 11, 2017
And it didn't take long for the original video to surface.
scavino deleted the tweet, but i filmed it pic.twitter.com/MTXsc0dlKA
— David Mack (@davidmackau) September 10, 2017
Yeah, who would want to verify information was accurate before passing it on to the President?
— John Maddening (@johnmaddening) September 10, 2017
And of course, the memes started rolling in.
Breaking: tour group stranded on deserted island off Florida's coast after their boat runs aground during #Irma pic.twitter.com/mWNvIfAuJG
— K Doyle (@CalReason) September 10, 2017
GIF of a ship sinking just off the coast from the bigly power of Irma. It broke records. pic.twitter.com/Cj1CKgA7HI
— AltHomelandSecurity (@AltHomelandSec) September 10, 2017
Dan! Dan! Dan! Mar-a-Lago's under water! Please share!! pic.twitter.com/K647TgoC9A
— SeriouslyUS? (@USseriously) September 10, 2017
But mostly people just wanted to roast him for his incompetence.
your job isn't to effing crowdsource. You have legitimate sources of info ffs. Fire yourself.
— Melissa Byrne (@mcbyrne) September 10, 2017
you didn't think to do proper due diligence before sharing a video during a disaster??
— Megan R. Smith (@MeganRSmith83) September 10, 2017
And others were quick to use a term that Trump and his team are probably very familiar with.
Fake news, Dan! Might want to vet your sources next time.
— Ruby (@motherofshoes) September 10, 2017
Fake news eh? Watch CNN or Weather Channel for real news
— Craig (@CraigNJ66) September 10, 2017