Trump often used an aide’s cellphone for his White House calls, meaning many of them weren’t officially recorded, report says

• Trump frequently used his close aide Dan Scavino’s phone to make calls, CNN reported. 
• The news comes as Scavino is battling the Jan. 6 commission’s bid to obtain his phone records. 
• Trump was averse to making calls using official White House lines, CNN reported.

Former President Donald Trump habitually used the cellphone of his close aide Dan Scavino to make calls, CNN reported, meaning many of them were not officially recorded.

In the Sunday report, CNN detailed the unorthodox ways Trump made calls while in office, with sources claiming that Trump would frequently use the cellphones of aides to make calls to supporters or family members. 

Among the phones in most frequent use was that by Deputy White House Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, whose office was in “shouting distance” of Trump’s in the Oval Office, CNN reported.

One source told CNN they witnessed Scavino “routinely” handing his cellphone to Trump, and described Scavino as the “key to pretty much everything” given his proximity to the former president.

Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment. Scavino’s attorney declined to comment.

The report comes as Scavino battles attempts by the House commission investigating the Capitol riot to obtain his phone records.

One of the commission’s key focuses is phone calls that Trump made as the Capitol was attacked. The commission has detected gaps in official White House call records during the period of time commission members believe Trump had made calls. 

The commission in January issued a subpoena for Scavino’s phone records, and he launched a lawsuit against Verizon to prevent it from handing over the records. The lawsuit, which is still in its early phase, means the commission has not yet obtained the records from Scavino’s phone. 

Trump’s haphazard style while in office was said to extend to his treatment of documents, with reports saying he regularly tore up papers or sought to dispose of them down the toilet.