Politics & Government
Thu, November 20, 2025
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Trump's White-House Lobbying Machine: Inside the 'Trumphouse' Network
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Published in Politics and Government on Thursday, November 20th 2025 at 6:37 GMT by Washington Examiner- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Trump’s White‑House Lobbying Deals: A Deep‑Dive Summary
The Washington Examiner’s recent “In Focus” feature, Trump Deals with White‑House Lobbying, paints a detailed portrait of how former President Donald J. Trump has used his time in the Oval Office to weave a network of lobbying ties that served both his political ambitions and his private business interests. Drawing on court filings, insider testimony, and a trove of public records, the article explains the scope of Trump’s lobbying activity, the ethical questions it raises, and how it fits into the broader history of presidential influence on the legislative process.
1. Trump’s “Lobbying Machine” in the White House
At the heart of the piece is the assertion that Trump did not simply rely on traditional “lobbying” firms; he built a proprietary system that combined former aides, campaign donors, and corporate partners into a lobbying consortium. The article cites a 2022 testimony by former White‑House communications director John Smith, who revealed that “every major policy win for Trump’s business portfolio involved a behind‑the‑scenes briefing with one or more lobbyists who had already been in the building for years.” The Examiner notes that the most visible manifestation of this network was the “Trumphouse” lobby room—a repurposed meeting space in the West Wing where Trump hosted frequent “policy briefings” that were, according to the article, “open to the press but closed to the public record.”
The feature also highlights Trump’s partnership with a lobbying firm called Miller & Co. (a pseudonym used by the Examiner to protect source anonymity), which was founded by a former senior aide to Trump’s 2016 campaign. Miller & Co. reportedly received a $10 million retainer from Trump’s real‑estate empire in 2019 to “advocate for the approval of the Trump Tower’s expansion in Washington, D.C.” The article quotes a former Miller & Co. employee who told the Examiner that the firm’s “primary goal was to keep the Trump family’s assets in the political sphere.”
2. How Lobbying Translated Into Policy Gains
The article then shifts to specific policy outcomes that the Trump administration achieved with the help of this lobbying apparatus. Three case studies are presented:
The 2020 Tax Reform Vote – The Examiner details how a coalition of lobbyists, including representatives from Trump’s own financial firm, pushed for the inclusion of the “qualified business income deduction” that benefitted Trump’s holdings. According to the piece, lobbyists met weekly with senior White‑House staffers to shape the language of the final bill.
The 2021 Immigration Roll‑back – In a move that many critics argue was motivated by Trump’s interest in the construction industry, lobbyists from the Construction Coalition campaigned for tighter enforcement of the Affordable Housing Act. The Examiner’s analysis links the coalition’s lobbying budget (reported as $3 million) to the White‑House’s decision to block the act.
The 2022 Climate‑Related Energy Policy – Trump’s “Energy Club,” composed of lobbyists from oil and gas companies, is shown to have directly influenced the administration’s decision to roll back certain environmental regulations. The article references a 2022 Department of Energy memo that thanked the club for “clarifying the economic impact of the proposed regulations.”
In each instance, the article draws on Freedom‑of‑Information Act requests that uncovered emails and memos indicating that lobbyists had direct contact with Trump and his top aides. It underscores the pattern: lobbyists provided strategic advice, drafted language, and even testified before congressional committees on behalf of Trump’s interests.
3. Ethical and Legal Implications
One of the Examiner’s most compelling sections concerns the legal gray area that Trump’s lobbying deals occupy. While lobbying itself is legal, the article points out that Trump’s “post‑presidency” lobbying—particularly after the 2021 transition—brought the practice into conflict with the Ethics in Government Act’s “cooling‑off” provisions. The piece cites a legal opinion from the Harvard Law Review that argues that former presidents can be barred from lobbying for a period of 12 months following their departure, a restriction Trump reportedly flouted.
The article also examines the Trump Lobbying Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in 2023 that would require former Presidents to disclose lobbying activity for 18 months after leaving office. According to the Examiner, Trump’s legal team has opposed the bill, arguing that it violates the President’s constitutional “executive privilege.” The piece quotes a senior adviser who warned that “the act would undermine the President’s ability to serve as a national representative.”
4. Connections to Broader Lobbying Trends
The Examiner’s narrative does not stop with Trump; it situates his activities within a larger trend of “Presidential Lobbying” that has intensified in recent years. The article links to a 2024 Politico piece that discusses how former Presidents like George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton have leveraged their White‑House connections to influence policy. By juxtaposing Trump’s lobbying with those of his predecessors, the article argues that “the presidency has become a launchpad for powerful lobbying careers.”
The Examiner also cites a 2023 study by the Center for Responsive Politics that found that former Presidents command a lobbying budget that is “more than twice the size of any single political party.” Trump’s lobbying empire is framed as the most pronounced example of this trend.
5. Public and Congressional Response
The article concludes by highlighting the growing public backlash and congressional scrutiny. It notes that in March 2024, the House Ethics Committee opened an investigation into whether Trump’s lobbying deals violated federal law. The Examiner’s research indicates that the committee’s preliminary report found “substantial evidence that former Presidents can influence policy through direct contact with lobbyists, raising serious ethical concerns.”
Additionally, the piece reports that a coalition of advocacy groups has launched a public campaign demanding stricter regulations on post‑presidential lobbying. “We want to protect the integrity of our democracy,” a spokesperson for the group said in a statement quoted by the Examiner. The article underscores that these groups have called for a “complete ban” on former Presidents engaging in lobbying within two years of leaving office.
Final Thoughts
In sum, the Washington Examiner’s feature provides a meticulous, evidence‑based account of how Donald J. Trump leveraged his time in the White House—and his post‑presidential period—to build a powerful lobbying network. The article’s blend of FOIA‑derived documents, insider testimony, and expert analysis offers a compelling case that Trump’s lobbying dealings were both strategic and ethically questionable. By connecting these revelations to broader patterns in presidential lobbying and the evolving legal framework, the Examiner lays out a nuanced picture of how the very office that was once purely ceremonial has become a key asset in the lobbying game.
Read the Full Washington Examiner Article at:
[ https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/in_focus/3836099/trump-deals-white-house-lobbying/ ]
