You can count on two hands the number of top aides to former President Donald Trump who have landed new jobs.
Former spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany is at Fox. Trump communicators Julia Hahn and Judd Deere joined newly elected Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty. The Heritage Foundation expanded its immigration team by giving fellowships to former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, his deputy Ken Cuccinelli, and former border boss Mark Morgan.
But for most others, resumes are gathering dust, book manuscripts are being rejected, and corporations are being threatened with boycotts if they hire members of Trump’s team.
“They are being blocked everywhere,” said Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union.
It’s “natural for the party that lost the White House, just as we saw after the Bush and Obama administrations, to spend a few months in the wilderness, so to speak,” added Brian Walsh, a partner at PLUS Communications.
But this time feels different, and many critics have said it is deserved.
“They took a wrecking ball to the ‘swamp.’ Why would the ‘swamp’ want them back?” a top K Street lobbyist asked.
Eric Dezenhall, an author and Washington communications adviser, said it is going to be hard for Trump staffers to land jobs quickly, especially with corporations, due to concerns that the White House played fast and loose with the truth.
“I had one client say to me that they’re avoiding people from ‘Trumpworld’ because they are afraid that hiring from somebody from that world right out of the gate will provoke somebody into accusing them of lying,” Dezenhall said.
“The Trump crowd was able to traffic in dubious information, but they could do that as long as he was in power. When he loses that power, they’re now victims of the same character assassination,” said Dezenhall, whose new book False Light tackles that issue.
He added that Trump staffers have another strike against them. Republicans are not what corporations want because most have liberal management.
“The people who worked for Republican presidents have always had baggage that others have not had, and because corporations are desperate to be loved by people who don’t like them, they’re well known to recruit more heavily from Democrats,” Dezenhall said.
His advice was for Trump administration staffers to avoid attention, take any job in their issue lane, and try again in a year.
Longtime Washington communicator Ron Bonjean, a partner at ROKK Solutions, agreed.
“For those who want to stay in the Washington area, finding jobs with corporate offices and high-profile trade associations are probably going to be difficult to land,” he said. “However, there are a number of right-of-center consulting firms along with new and existing policy campaigns that are going to be much more welcoming.”
And give it time, Walsh added, saying, “Inevitably, the dust settles, though, and those who are motivated and work hard will land on their feet.”
