Corporate America shows no signs of rushing to snatch the vast majority of Trump’s top employees.
Prominent Trump era figures were already facing tough job prospects in late 2020, but major American companies have moved further away from Republicans after the crowd’s deadly attack on Capitol Building earlier this month.
Several former employees got jobs at right-wing think tanks and conservative organizations, instead of getting excellent jobs as corporate executives or board members, while others, as a former White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow
Larry KudlowMORE are returning to their previous line of work on cable news.
Experts say the range of employment opportunities for former Trump advisers is increasingly limited, with many companies aware of the potential reaction of the consumer, employee or shareholder if they extend a job offer to a divisive figure.
“I really think that a lot of these people will have to look for friends and family because that’s where they will be hired. Not everyone, but I think the more political you are, this may be your only option at the moment, ”said Ivan Adler, president of Ivan Adler Associates, a lobbyist recruitment firm.
The job prospects for Trump’s employees are decidedly different than they were for Obama’s aides in January 2017, when the 44th president stepped down with an approval rating close to 60%. Old President Trump
Donald TrumpBiden reverses Trump’s last-minute attempt to freeze 0.4 billion programs Trump announces new legal impeachment team after reported matches Republicans struggle to unify toward the next election cycle MOREThe January 20 approval rating was about half, marking the lowest point of his presidency.
Several senior Trump officials have landed jobs, though not in the kinds of prominent places where many Obama alumni have ended up.
“I think the Fortune 500 companies will be extremely careful when bringing in recent administration personnel,” said one recruiter. “Especially now that everyone has taken a break from corporate donations, I think everyone is super sensitive to not appear to be signaling something they don’t intend to do when hiring someone who recently left.”
Companies like Amazon and Comcast announced the suspension of political donations immediately after the January 6 crowd attack on Capitol Hill, with many implementing a freeze on contributions to the 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the results of the Electoral College.
“It’s much worse,” said a former aide to George W. Bush, referring to the Capitol insurrection.
“I think pre-election would be more difficult, it would be more difficult after the circus of denial of the elections and, again, almost impossible after January 6 for a Trump official to be hired by corporate America,” added the former aide. “Corporate America will have a very difficult bar for Trump’s nominees to jump.”
Mark Meadows
Mark MeadowsFormer Trump finds labor market difficult Lou Dobbs beats “petty” Republicans by criticizing Trump The Hill’s Morning Report – Dems question trial; January becomes the most lethal month of the pandemic MORE, 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 Transport Secretary Elaine Chao
Elaine ChaoFormer Trump officials find labor market difficult How Mitch McConnell blew up his ‘LBJ moment’ and returned the GOP to Trump Mark Meadows joins the Conservative Partnership Institute MORE, who is married to the Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellRepublicans struggle to unify towards the next election cycle. The president has changed, but Washington has not found former Trump employees in the tough job market MORE (R-Ky.) And he was the first Cabinet member to resign in protest after the Capitol riot, she is returning to the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank where she worked before the Trump administration.
She will be accompanied by the former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Mike PompeoBelarus police arrest 160 protesters calling for Taiwan’s president’s ouster to break rules by watching U.S. military activity in the defense zone Former Trump officials find labor market difficult MORE, which is in the mix of potential presidential candidates from 2,024.
“I spoke to probably 70 people in this government and they understand that it will be a challenge. Lobbying or law firms are more likely to catch people, not American companies, ”a recruiter told The Hill.
Obama’s former advisers, however, have been widely embraced by large American corporations.
Former White House press secretary Josh Earnest is now senior vice president and communications director for United Airlines after a stint at NBC and MSNBC as a political analyst, while his podium predecessor, Jay Carney, took a vice position. senior president at Amazon less than a year after leaving the Obama administration.
For Trump’s former communications team, the media sphere holds the most promise.
Kudlow, a former CNBC presenter, is moving to Fox Business, and former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, been in conversations with Fox News.
“These are familiar names or have become familiar names. They will attract viewers and an audience. It makes sense that they managed to land something in the space of the media platform. I think it will be much more challenging for those who don’t have that name recognition, ”said Julian Ha, a partner at Heidrick & Struggles, an executive search firm.
Some of the prominent millionaires or billionaires in the Trump Cabinet – former trade secretary Wilbur Ross
Wilbur Louis RossFormer Trump finds job market hard on money: Retail sales fall at the last sign of weakening the economy | Fast-food workers strike for minimum wage | US officials raise concerns about Mexico’s handling of energy licenses US authorities raise concerns about how Mexico is handling energy licenses MORE, former Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin
Steven MnuchinFormer Trump finds the job market difficult Louise Linton plays a sex-obsessed hedge fund manager in her debut writer and director The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden advocates legislative patience and urgent action amid the crisis MORE and former secretary of education Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVosFormer Trump officials find labor market difficult The conversation about forgiveness intensifies as Trump approaches the last 24 hours at the Azar office, in a letter to Trump, says rioting on the Capitol can ‘tarnish’ the legacy MORE – did not announce their next steps.
A former Trump employee argued that hiring opportunities will depend on the person.
“Smart companies that do not make decisions based on short-term political pressure will invest in serious and balanced individuals in management – and there are many of them in the executive branch,” said the former employee.
“The vast majority of Trump administration officials never met the president, focused on politics and repelled by what happened on January 6. It would be a shame if companies blacklisted these individuals for no logical reason other than their anxiety over a title problem. “
But even jobs at lobby stores and trade associations – traditional landing sites for former government officials – are freezing after the mob attack.
“It is a perfect storm, really: almost universal business disgust with the events of January 6, and the new fully democratic landscape means that it is even more difficult for these people to move to K Street,” said another former employee of Trump administration.
The difficult market is unlikely to improve anytime soon, according to a former Bush aide.
“I think a year from now, you will be able to count in one hand the number of Trump people who have been hired to run trade associations or perhaps corporate offices. And those who are will not be considered primarily as Trump people. Their service at Trump will be part of the curriculum, but not the only thing, ”said the former aide.