How the White House Sidelined Lobbyist (Report)

In early March, a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump promoting a “Crypto Strategic Reserve” went viral in the United States.

However, within hours of its going up, the post backfired on one of Washington, D.C.’s most well-connected lobbyists, Brian Ballard.

Truth Social Post Drama

According to a report from Politico, the idea for the post came from a staff member at Ballard’s lobbying firm who had spoken to Trump several times during a weekend donor event at Mar-a-Lago. She allegedly urged the president to back the crypto industry publicly and even suggested the language he would use.

Unknown to Trump at the time, Ripple, whose native XRP token was mentioned in the message, was a client of Ballard’s firm. CEO Brad Garlinghouse has made no secret of his desire to see XRP included in a proposed digital asset reserve.

Once the President learned of the connection, he was furious. “He is not welcome in anything anymore,” Trump reportedly told White House associates later that month, referring to Ballard.

As a result, staff were allegedly quietly directed to avoid meetings with him, effectively freezing him out of the West Wing.

Since Trump’s return to power, Ballard Partners has gained 130 new customers. The firm earned $14 million in the first three months of 2025, more than three times what it made in the same period last year.

However, some people in Trump’s circle now believe the influence peddler has gone too far. According to Politico, they think he uses his past ties to the President and his team to get more clients, even though those relationships may not be as close as he claims.

“One way to get yourself in the doghouse is for the President to think you are trading on his name,” one Trump ally told the media outlet, adding that the lobbyist overstates his “importance and value.”

Ballard Denies Accusations

In a statement to the media outlet, the 65-year-old rejected the criticisms and denied that he has been sidelined. “I have never touted my relationships with people in the West Wing to try to win clients,” he noted.

Regarding the Truth Social incident, someone from his team said they never tried to trick Trump with the message. Despite this, the situation seems to have caused Ballard some trouble with his business. A few of his clients have reportedly begun seeking alternative routes to gain access to the President and his advisers.

After opening his Washington office in 2017, Ballard quickly became one of the city’s most successful lobbyists. He is a well-known figure in Trump’s world, having helped raise tens of millions of dollars for the politician’s campaigns.

He also used to represent the Trump Organization, and his firm also employed two of the President’s close allies, Susie Wiles and Pam Bondi.