MAGA-Connected Firms Hit Record Profits as Businesses Seek White House Access

Lobbying firms aligned with former President Donald Trump and the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement are enjoying an unprecedented surge in revenue as companies race to secure influence inside Washington's new power structure.

Federal lobbying expenditures have jumped more than 20 percent year-on-year, the sharpest rise since the late 1990s, according to The Washington Post.

The increase is driven largely by firms with direct connections to Trump's inner circle that are capitalising on their access to a White House reshaping US policy on trade, technology and healthcare.

The New Power Players on K Street

Leading the pack is Ballard Partners, a Florida-based firm founded by Republican fundraiser Brian Ballard. Once a small regional outfit, it has become Washington's top-earning lobbying shop after quadrupling its revenue this year. Its client list now includes Harvard University and TikTok.

Ballard's meteoric rise reflects a wider trend: corporations are funnelling money to firms with proven ties to Trump's team.

Miller Strategies, founded by Jeff Miller, Trump's former inaugural finance director, has also quadrupled earnings, while Mercury Public Affairs, employing ex-Trump advisers Susie Wiles and Pam Bondi, has more than doubled its revenue.

Access Is the New Currency

Industry analysts say the current lobbying boom is defined by proximity to the Oval Office rather than policy expertise.

'Many of the folks in both Trump administrations are not traditional government people,' said one Washington legal expert. 'That creates a huge gap for smaller, well-connected firms to fill, people who speak the same language as the White House.'

That access has already shaped several corporate outcomes. Tech giants Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices reportedly secured permission to continue exporting high-powered chips to China after agreeing to share a portion of sales revenue, while pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Pfizer received tariff relief in exchange for drug-price cuts.

Lobbying Boom Follows the Power Shift

Lobbying fortunes typically rise with a change in political power, but the scale of this MAGA-era surge is striking. Ballard Partners, which had no Washington presence before 2017, now earns tens of millions of dollars annually.

TikTok has paid the firm nearly $500,000 (£376,000) this year to lobby on technology and content regulation, while Harvard has spent over $250,000 (£188,000) seeking resolution of frozen research funding disputes.

Miller Strategies has meanwhile added major healthcare clients including Pfizer, which recently obtained a three-year tariff reprieve after promising to sell selected drugs to the US government at discounted rates.

Old Guards Holding On

Traditional powerhouses remain active but face growing competition. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck reported revenue exceeding $40 million (£30 million) this year, while Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld continues to rank among the top four firms.

'Our numbers speak for themselves,' said Will Moschella of Brownstein. 'We've built a firm designed for lasting success and have alumni from both Trump administrations.'

The Trump Alumni Advantage

Several former White House staffers have opened their own consultancies, leveraging insider experience to attract clients. May Mailman, a Harvard-trained lawyer and former deputy assistant to the president, now advises corporations on how to 'align with administration priorities.'

'It's no longer about asking what Washington can do for you,' she said. 'It's about what you can do for America, and showing how your project benefits the country.'

Another former aide, Trent Morse, recently launched a lobbying practice after leaving the White House. 'We understand how this administration thinks,' he said. 'We've been in the room before. That gives us a real edge.'

Both remain under mandatory cooling-off periods that restrict direct contact with the administration, but their knowledge has already proved valuable for firms seeking access.

'Drain the Swamp' Revisited

For a movement that once vowed to drain the swamp, the numbers tell a different story. The lobbying industry is thriving, and the biggest beneficiaries are those closest to Trump's orbit.

A White House spokesperson insisted that 'the only special interest influencing President Trump's decisions is the American people.'

Still, the flow of corporate money toward MAGA-linked firms marks a striking transformation of Washington's influence economy. The outsiders who once promised to dismantle the swamp now preside over one of its most profitable eras.