{"id":2394221,"date":"2025-01-23T09:07:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T14:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ballard-lobbyist-lands-key-white-house-spot-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-01-23T09:07:26","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T14:07:26","slug":"ballard-lobbyist-lands-key-white-house-spot-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ballard-lobbyist-lands-key-white-house-spot-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Ballard lobbyist lands key White House spot &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fballard-lobbyist-lands-key-white-house-spot-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2394221&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A former lobbyist from Ballard partners,a prominent \u200bfirm with strong connections \u200cto the \u2063Trump administration,has\u200d secured \u200ba \u2064senior position in \u2063the White House&#8217;s Presidential \u200cPersonnel Office,which is tasked with recruiting and vetting political appointees. Trent \u200bMorse, who\u2062 previously served as a senior associate at Ballard from 2021 to 2022, will be the deputy director\u200b of the office. In \u200c2023, he transitioned to a \u2063role focused on external \u200daffairs\u2063 and GOP outreach. This appointment reflects the continuing influence of lobbyists in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">high-ranking government roles<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Ex-Ballard lobbyist lands senior White House personnel spot<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1944126\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lobbying\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">lobbyist<\/a> at an influential firm with close ties to Trumpworld has landed a high-ranking role at the <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"White House\">White House<\/a>&lsquo;s Presidential Personnel Office, according to three people briefed on the matter.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The Presidential Personnel Office, which is responsible for recruiting and vetting political appointees, will count its deputy director as Trent Morse, the people said. Morse is a former senior associate at <a href=\"https:\/\/ballardpartners.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Ballard Partners\">Ballard Partners<\/a>, the GOP-aligned lobbying firm where he worked on behalf of dozens of clients between 2021 and 2022, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/anti-trumper-adam-kinzinger-and-his-bill-gates-connection\/\" title=\"Anti-Trumper Adam Kinzinger and His Bill Gates Connection\">lobbying disclosures show<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Morse took a job in 2023 as chief of external affairs and GOP outreach for the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, according to his LinkedIn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/trent-morse-44b7401b\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">account<\/a>. He was also brought <a href=\"https:\/\/floridapolitics.com\/archives\/579410-personnel-note-trent-morse-joins-mercury-as-svp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">on<\/a> that year as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-confirms-kathleen-hicks-as-deputy-defense-secretary\/\" title=\"Senate Confirms Kathleen Hicks as Deputy Defense Secretary\">senior vice president<\/a> at Mercury Public Affairs, a bipartisan firm that also has close ties to the Trump administration, including via White House chief of staff Susie Wiles&rsquo;s prior co-chairwoman role there. <\/p>\n<p>The hiring of Morse further illustrates Ballard&rsquo;s deepening connections to the Trump administration. Ballard, the firm of Trump fundraiser Brian Ballard, is signing up a slew of corporate clients angling for influence post-election. The firm employs Pam Bondi, Trump&rsquo;s attorney general pick, and Wiles also used to work there.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, Morse&rsquo;s clients at Ballard included Millennium Physician Group, Martin County, Florida, the Jacksonville Port Authority, the City of Jacksonville, Florida, and others, according to disclosures.<\/p>\n<p>The White House did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<p>The PPO is being led by Sergio Gor, the president and co-founder of Donald Trump Jr.&rsquo;s publishing company, Winning Team Publishing, the <em>New York Times<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/11\/13\/us\/politics\/trump-personnel-sergio-gor.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">reported<\/a>. Saurabh Sharma, the former president of a Trump-aligned group called American Moment that is helping to staff the Trump administration, also landed a role at the PPO. Sharma declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p>Morse worked at various agencies during the first Trump term, including the Department of Transportation, the White House, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2018, he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2018\/07\/13\/tweets-hhs-tim-clark-gavin-smith-686407\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">replaced<\/a> HHS official Tim Clark after a <em>Politico<\/em> report on Clark sharing conspiracy theories on his social media account about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.<\/p>\n<p>Ballard Partners, Morse&rsquo;s prior employer, has forged powerful relationships with incoming Trump administration officials. It recently <a href=\"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/campus\/harvard-hires-maga-linked-lobbying-firm-amid-congressional-probes-threats-to-tax-its-53-billion-endowment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">signed<\/a> Harvard University to lobby and represents corporations that directed millions of dollars to Trump&rsquo;s inauguration committee, such as Ripple and Amazon.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>On his first day in office, Trump&rsquo;s PPO hired more than 1,300 staff, <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/21\/us-news\/trump-sets-first-day-hiring-record-with-1300-new-staff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">according<\/a> to the <em>New York Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out for comment to Ballard Partners and Morse. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1944126\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1944126\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ex-Ballard lobbyist Trent Morse joins White House personnel team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":381,"featured_media":2394222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Trump-Web-Back-scaled-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[49060,5054,4133,5894,32127],"class_list":["post-2394221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-ballard","tag-lobbyist","tag-news","tag-politics","tag-white-house"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Trump-Web-Back-scaled-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2394221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/381"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2394221"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2394221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2394225,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2394221\/revisions\/2394225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2394222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2394221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2394221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2394221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}