When Kevin McCarthy’s name was bandied around for months as a “dark horse candidate” to become Donald Trump’s chief of staff, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives didn’t embrace the possibility — but he didn’t deny his interest, either.
His non-committal attitude was part of a long-standing Washington tradition that has gained momentum in the run-up to Trump’s second inauguration: people in the private sector reaping the benefits of being name-checked for high-level jobs level, even the idea that she would be chosen or accept a role amounts to little more than speculation.
In short, if the buzz doesn’t result in a new job, the appearance of proximity to power can result in new customers. Getting listed for an administrative job is almost as good as getting the job itself.
The phenomenon is an essential part of launching a new government, although few, if any, are willing to admit that it is a tactic of their own making. A new cast of characters roam the city to get as close as possible to the incoming White House so they can collect hefty sums from those who want to influence policymaking. McCarthy doesn’t lobby, but being proposed for a powerful White House job won’t hurt his new paid speech gig.
Lobbyists and business consultants in particular are trying to sell every possible connection to the president’s inner circle. Jeff Forbes, a political operative who founded the lobbying firm Forbes Tate Partners, said the practice is a common PR strategy for people looking to grow their businesses downtown.
“This is one of the oldest games in Washington,” the lobbyist said. “At best you get picked, and at worst you look quite attractive to potential customers.”
There’s no better time than the present for people with legitimate knowledge of the Trump job. Ivan Adler, a recruiter dubbed the “Lobbyist Hunter,” said there was a big appetite for people with connections to the new president. In fact, business was so good for K Street during the last Trump administration that lobbyists from his orbit were able to set up successful and sustainable stores in Washington. Among them were Brian Ballard and Jeff Miller, who have since become two of the biggest figures on K Street.
Another twist: if a lobbyist’s colleague is selected for a prominent post in government, that lobbyist’s share also increases; an internal connection in the White House is a huge asset to present to potential clients. And so personnel decisions can have a major ripple effect on who sits at the top and who sits at the bottom on K Street.
“Everyone has a different approach to marketing, but that’s exactly what it is: marketing,” said a longtime Republican lobbyist who granted anonymity to speak freely. “It’s a story as old as time.”
Some names seem to be floating around a lot in the run-up to a Republican Inauguration Day. Among them is Wayne Berman, who leads Blackstone’s government affairs team and whose name was recently mentioned as deputy treasury secretary. Former Trump Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who has worked as a policy adviser at the lobbying giant Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, was floated as a sleeper candidate for chief of staff (even though Trump’s de facto campaign manager Susie Wiles was widely seen as the front-runner ), Attorney General or Minister of the Interior.
“Being perceived as connected to a new group is good for business and social invitations,” said Bruce Mehlman, a Republican lobbyist who runs his own shop, emphasizing that this was not a tactic he used. “That’s just a truth we know.”
The DC strategy of floating names in the press has a long history. But it can be a risky game, especially in the Trump environment, where getting ahead of the president or putting one’s own ambitions ahead of his are among the gravest sins.
Trump is known to be hostile to those believed to have leaked to the media, and Trump allies expressed deep skepticism about those who had tipped off the press under their own names. While it’s a powerful marketing strategy, it says nothing about their actual influence, Trump allies said.
“People use [the] transition to raise their profile, knowing they have no chance to participate in this transition,” said a former campaign official. “I think people should be skeptical when they read names.”
Besides an immediate payday, there are other benefits to getting your name in the press. Invitations to exclusive parties can increase and bragging rights among colleagues can be secured. A group of Trump allies recently received a message about Rep.’s name. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who circulated for the secretary of agriculture and laughed at the suggestion, added the former campaign official, who was granted anonymity to speak freely. Massie had endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary and wanted to repair his image, the person suggested. (A spokesperson for Massie did not return a request for comment.)
“People who put their names out there are not participating,” said a former Trump administration official who is now a lobbyist. Usually those people are “not as close to the center” as they would like others to believe. “I think you’ll have a lot of people like that in this administration.”
Even before the election, a person close to McCarthy suggested that the former chairman was content with his new position outside government, with his name still circulating for several positions.
“I still think he’s pretty happy,” said the person close to McCarthy.
There could still be a reward for McCarthy after trading in his gavel for a different kind of speaker. The former California congressman hired an agency to help him organize speaking engagements. His clients include the American Hospital Association, French bank BNP Paribas and snack industry trade association SNAC International.
McCarthy spent years working his way back into Trump’s good graces, following the breakdown of their relationship after McCarthy publicly said Trump was at least partially responsible for the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. And after the former speaker’s impeachment the juice in Washington had dried up considerably.
But recently, McCarthy has mended his ties with the new president. And having his name in the running for chief of staff has offered a new kind of relevance.
