As Donald Trump eyes a return to the White House, one Washington D.C. lobbying firm, Ballard Partners, is exceptionally well-positioned to capitalize. With deep-rooted connections to the former president, Ballard Partners stands to potentially gain significantly from the shifting political landscape, experts suggest.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Dominican Republic found itself in dire need of remdesivir, a crucial antiviral drug. Facing roadblocks in procuring supplies as the Trump administration prioritized U.S. stockpiles, Dominican officials turned to Ballard Partners, a lobbying powerhouse they had been paying handsomely. An urgent plea was sent to Brian Ballard, a veteran lobbyist at the firm, requesting White House intervention to expedite the drug shipment from Gilead Sciences.
Emails later filed with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act revealed the swift response. Ballard promptly connected the Dominican officials with Anand Shah, then a high-ranking official at the Food and Drug Administration. “We have had the privilege of representing the Dominican Republic for several years and have been very pleased with the pro American policies of the government. I hope you might advise on the best way forward to assist on this critical matter,” Ballard wrote, leveraging his firm’s influence.
This episode is just a snapshot of the services that made Ballard Partners a magnet for both foreign and domestic clients during Trump’s first term. Previously focused on Florida clients for two decades, the firm exploded onto the Washington scene, securing major players like Amazon, American Airlines, and Uber. By 2020, Ballard Partners boasted over $24 million in federal domestic lobbying revenue, a meteoric rise within just four years of establishing their D.C. presence.
While the firm experienced a slight deceleration after Trump left office, the anticipation of his potential return has once again placed Ballard Partners in a prime position. This prospect has ignited concerns among consumer advocacy groups and ethics watchdogs, who question the implications of such close ties between a lobbying firm and the highest levels of power.
‘We’ve Got Friends’: Ballard Partners’ Strategic Advantage
Ballard Partners‘ strategic positioning is underscored by their significant involvement in Trump’s political machinery. During this election cycle, the firm bundled a substantial $1.8 million in campaign contributions for a Trump fundraising entity. Furthermore, key figures in Trump’s inner circle have direct ties to Ballard Partners. Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, his nominee for attorney general, both have served as registered lobbyists at the firm. Wiles spent eight years at Ballard Partners before departing in 2019, while Bondi has been a partner since 2019. Wiles later spearheaded Trump’s Florida campaign in 2020 and managed his campaign for the recent election cycle.
“It’s definitely two of the most important positions in the federal government,” Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, pointed out. “And the fact that they’re both coming from the same lobbying firm sends a powerful message: ‘If you have interests that need to be protected … we’ve got friends.'”
While the revolving door between government and lobbying is not a new phenomenon in Washington across both Democratic and Republican administrations, the appointment of two individuals with recent lobbying backgrounds to such prominent roles raises eyebrows. It fuels questions about Trump’s pledge to “drain the swamp” and prioritize the working class over corporate interests.
Jon Golinger, an advocate at Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, stated, “The pitch in the election was that the swamp is too swampy and the working class has been ignored, and corporations have been sending their jobs abroad. We’ll be looking to see whether those issues are prioritized, or whether it’s the same old business as usual with new people in charge.”
Karoline Leavitt, the incoming White House press secretary, defended the appointments, stating to ABC News, “Susie Wiles and Pam Bondi are highly respected individuals who have proven deeply loyal to President Trump and the American people who just re-elected him. Pam, Susie, and all of President Trump’s nominees will abide by all ethical obligations in their respective roles.”
As Trump’s return to power became increasingly likely, Ballard Partners strategically expanded its client portfolio to include entities with significant federal policy stakes. Japanese steel giant Nippon Steel, currently facing opposition from both Trump and President Biden regarding its merger with U.S. Steel, and TikTok, facing a potential ban in the U.S. if its Chinese owner doesn’t divest, both enlisted Ballard Partners‘ services.
Moreover, Ballard Partners registered as a foreign agent for the Embassy of Japan last year, earning over $300,000 for facilitating meetings and communications with journalists and lawmakers on behalf of the embassy, according to Department of Justice filings.
In October 2024, the Embassy for the Republic of Sudan, a nation grappling with a devastating civil war, signed a $50,000-a-month contract with Ballard Partners. The goal: to leverage the firm’s connections for “communications with U.S. government officials and decision makers.”
Nick Schwellenbach, a senior investigator at the Project on Government Oversight, aptly summarized the firm’s appeal: “If you’re a company or a government or another organization, you’re hiring Ballard Partners because you think they can open doors for you. They’re very intertwined at the highest levels with the incoming Trump administration, and they stand to profit significantly.”
‘Personal Connections to President Trump’ Drive Ballard Partners’ Success
Ballard Partners‘ rapid ascent in Washington during the Trump administration was built upon a foundation of pre-existing ties. Brian Ballard’s relationship with Trump dates back to the 1980s, shortly after Trump’s acquisition of Mar-a-Lago. Ballard reportedly wrote a letter to Trump praising “The Art of the Deal,” Trump’s bestselling book.
In 2017, Ballard explained to the Tallahassee Democrat the firm’s expansion into D.C.: “When the president was elected, a lot of corporations we represent in Florida and folks from around the county started to call up and say, ‘We don’t know folks in the administration’ and ‘We’d like to get to know some folks in the administration.'”
Ballard Partners declined to comment to ABC News for this story.
The firm’s D.C. office opening in 2017 marked a turning point. Ballard Partners quickly amassed $9.8 million in domestic federal lobbying revenue in its first year, doubling it to $18.2 million by 2018, and reaching a peak of $24.5 million in 2020.
Financial disclosures reveal a diverse clientele during this period. Ballard Partners earned $1.8 million lobbying for the private prison operator Geo Group amid Trump’s stringent immigration policies, $1.64 million from Pernod Ricard, the French wine and spirits giant, and significant sums from General Motors, Boeing, Uber, Major League Baseball, and DraftKings.
A 2024 report by House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Democrats, titled “White House for Sale: How Princes, Prime Ministers, and Premiers Paid off President Trump,” highlighted Ballard Partners‘ role. The report stated that Mr. Ballard, a Republican National Committee finance vice chair and Trump super-donor, had constructed his firm around his “personal connections to President Trump.” The report further alleged that Trump’s businesses received millions from foreign entities during his presidency. Eric Trump, responding to the report, dismissed the claims as “insane” and cited charitable donations made by Trump to offset foreign business earnings.
Ballard Partners also engaged in lucrative foreign lobbying, representing Turkey and Halkbank, a Turkish bank under Justice Department investigation for sanctions violations, for $125,000 monthly. The firm earned $2 million from Halkbank before terminating the relationship after the bank’s indictment in 2019 for evading Iran sanctions. Halkbank has pleaded not guilty.
Other foreign lobbying endeavors included representing Kosovo during negotiations with Serbia, advocating for the removal of U.S. sanctions against Zimbabwe, working to improve U.S.-Guatemala relations, and representing a Democratic Republic of the Congo opposition leader. Pam Bondi, while at Ballard Partners, represented Qatar on anti-human trafficking matters, and Susie Wiles briefly represented a Nigerian political party.
‘Here to Stay’: Ballard Partners’ Future Prospects
Following its peak in 2020, Ballard Partners experienced a revenue dip as power shifted to the Biden administration, mirroring the broader trend of lobbying firms aligned with the incoming administration prospering. In 2021, Brian Ballard acknowledged to The Hill, “We had a wonderful run, we’re going to be here to stay, but it’s not going to be the same.”
However, with Trump’s potential return, Ballard Partners is poised for a resurgence. Experts believe the firm is uniquely positioned to benefit, particularly with former lobbyists Wiles and Bondi potentially holding influential positions in the new administration.
“There’s a lot of opportunity here for their former firm and their former clients, even though there are ethics restrictions in place,” Canter noted, referring to regulations preventing government employees from engaging in matters involving former employers or clients within a year of their previous employment.
The underlying concern, Canter emphasized, is whether this arrangement truly serves the public interest. “Corporate interests will take precedence over the public interest,” she cautioned.
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