Corporate America is showing no signs of rushing to catch the vast majority of high-ranking Trump officials.
Prominent Trump-era figures were already facing tough job prospects by the end of 2020, but top American companies still distanced themselves from Republicans following the deadly mafia attack on the Chapter earlier this month.
Several former officials have secured employment in right-wing think tanks and conservative organizations instead of getting plum jobs as corporate directors or board members, while others, such as former economic adviser to the White House Larry Kudlow
Larry Kudlow MORE they return to their previous line of work on cable news.
Experts say the range of employment opportunities for Trump’s former aides is increasingly limited, with many companies holding back the potential side effects of consumers, employees or shareholders if they extend a job offer to a divisive figure.
“I think many of these people will have to go to friends and family, because they will be employed there. Not everyone, but I think the more political you are, the more your only option right now, ”said Ivan Adler, president of Ivan Adler Associates, a lobbying firm.
The job prospects for Trump officials are definitely different from those for Obama aid in January 2017, when the 44th president left office with an approval rating of almost 60%. Former President Trump
Donald TrumpBiden cancels Trump’s last-minute attempt to freeze .4 billion programs Trump announces new dismissal legal team after reported departures Republicans are struggling to unite in the next election cycle MOREThe approval rating was about half of that on January 20, marking the lowest point of his presidency.
Several top Trump officials have gotten jobs, though not in the high-visibility types of places many Obama graduates have reached.
“I think Fortune 500 companies will be extremely careful about bringing people from the recent administration on board,” said one recruiter. “Especially now, when everyone has some sort of break when it comes to offering companies, I think everyone is very sensitive not to seem to be signaling something they don’t intend to hire someone who has just come out.”
Companies such as Amazon and Comcast announced a halt to political donations immediately after the January 6 mob attack on the Chapter, many implementing a freeze on contributions to the 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the results of the Electoral College.
“It made it much worse,” said a former aide to George W. Bush, referring to the Capitol insurrection.
“I think it will be a harder pre-election, it will be harder after the election denial circus and again almost impossible after January 6 for a Trump official to be hired by corporate America,” the former aide added. “Corporate America will have a very tough bar for the Trump nominees to jump over.”
Mark Meadows
Former Trump officials find labor market difficult Lou Dobbs beats “petty” Republicans by criticizing Trump The Hill’s Morning Report – Dems trial trial; January becomes the deadliest month of the MORE pandemic, who served as Trump’s chief of staff, will work at the Conservative Partnership Institute, led by former South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint (R).
Former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao
Elaine ChaoFormer Trump officials find labor market difficult How Mitch McConnell blew his “LBJ moment” and handed GOP to Trump Mark Meadows joins Conservative Partnership Institute MORE, who is married to the Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Audiences are struggling to unite in the next election cycle The president has changed, but Washington has not found former Trump officials a difficult job market MORE (R-Ky.) And he was the first member of the Cabinet resigns in protest after the Capitol Uprising, he returned to the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank where he worked before the Trump administration.
He will be joined there by the former secretary of state Mike Pompeo
Mike PompeoBelarus Police Arrest 160 Protesters Demanding Taiwan President’s Dismissal Violate Rules to Observe US Military in Defense Area Former Trump Officials Find Difficult Labor Market MORE, which is in the mix of potential presidential candidates in 2024.
“I have spoken to probably 70 people from this administration and I understand that it will be a challenge. The lobby or law firms are largely likely to take people, not corporate America, “a recruiter told The Hill.
However, former Obama advisers have been largely embraced by large US corporations.
Former White House press secretary Josh Earnest is now senior vice president and chief communications officer at United Airlines after an internship at NBC and MSNBC as a political analyst, while his podium predecessor Jay Carney obtained a senior vice president position at Amazon less than a year after he left the Obama administration.
For Trump’s former communications staff, the media sphere looks the most promising.
Kudlow, a former CNBC host, moves to Fox Business, and former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was in talks with Fox News.
“These are household names or have become household names. They will attract spectators and the public. It is logical that they managed to land something in the space of the media platform. I think it will be much more difficult for those who do not have this name recognition, “said Julian Ha, a partner at Heidrick & Struggles, an executive search firm.
Some of the high-profile millionaires or billionaires in Trump’s cabinet – former secretary of commerce Wilbur Ross
Wilbur Louis RossFormer Trump officials find labor market difficult for money: retail sales fall at last sign of weakening economy | Fast food workers go on strike for the minimum wage | US officials are concerned about Mexico’s management of energy permits, former secretary of the treasury Steven Mnuchin
Steven MnuchinFormer Trump officials find labor market difficult Louise Linton plays a killer, sex-obsessed hedge fund manager in her debut as writer-director The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden pleads for legislative patience, urgent action in the context of the crisis MORE and former secretary of education Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVos Trump officials say the difficult job market is intensifying, as Trump approaches the last 24 hours in Azar’s office, in an exit letter to Trump, saying the Capitol riot could “soil” the legacy. – did not announce their next steps.
A former Trump official claimed that employment opportunities will depend on the person.
“Smart companies that do not make decisions based on short-term political pressure will invest in serious and serious individuals from the administration – and there are a lot of them throughout the executive,” the former official said.
“The vast majority of Trump administration employees have never met with the president, focused on politics, and are rejected by what happened on January 6. title.”
But even jobs in lobby shops and trade associations – traditional landing sites for former government officials – are freezing after the mafia attack.
“It’s a perfect storm, indeed: almost universal business repulsion at the events of January 6, and the new, still-democratic landscape means it’s even harder for these people to move to K Street,” said another former official. the Trump administration.
The tough market is unlikely to improve any time soon, according to a former Bush aide.
“I think in a year’s time, you will be able to count on the number of Trump people who have been hired either to run trade associations or corporate offices. And those who are will not be considered primarily Trump people. Their Trump service will be part of their resume, but not the only thing, “said the former assistant.