When President Trump took office many industries and organizations new that it would call for a re-examining of the lobbying playbook. Throughout his campaign, Trump called for a draining of the swamp and to implement new lobbying reforms. Moreover, Republicans won a supermajority in the 2016 elections, changing the political landscape of Washington, D.C. Jeffrey Taylor, Managing Partner of USGRI.com, argues that “Some presidential transitions are so Earth shaking that they require companies to conduct a much deeper analysis of their government relations plans; Carter to Reagan, Bush to Clinton, Clinton to Bush, Bush to Obama were all substantial ideological flips… but Obama to Trump is not your typical transfer of power. It is a monster change in direction for the U.S.; and by extension for U.S. and foreign business and industry.”
When President Obama took office in 2009, he also had supermajorities in both chambers of Congress, many companies initiated a new government relations efforts. However, according to Taylor, “Based on President Trump’s cabinet, the policy and management differences with the outgoing Obama Administration will be stark, substantial, significant, and aimed at systemic change in nearly every area of government policy that affects business.” This means companies need to re-write their playbook for the new administration.
However, Taylor also argues that “those that want to engage in a first-time government relations effort don’t need to carve out a big lobbying budget, there are firms that can capably and economically represent your company in Washington for a reasonable budget – and it gets you in the game!”
In the Trump era, one strategy that organizations will employ is how they frame their argument. Taylor suggests that President Trump “believes – rightly or wrongly – that he’s beholden to no one for his victory, except ‘middle America’ who elected him. In the past few week, he and his Administration has come to adopt a message of fighting for the ‘forgotten man’.” President Trump indicated this in his first speech before a Joint Session of Congress saying, “Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need. Our military will be given the resources its brave warriors so richly deserve. Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports and railways gleaming across our very, very beautiful land. Our terrible drug epidemic will slow down and, ultimately, stop. And our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety and opportunity. Above all else, we will keep our promises to the American people.” Therefore, organizations that can frame their argument as being advantageous to the average American will be significantly more impactful.
