Susie Wiles’ Federal Lobbying History Could Infect Incoming Administration with Conflicts of Interest
If her appointment by President-Elect Trump as White House Chief of Staff stands, former federal lobbyist Susie Wiles could prioritize the interests of her stacked client list of domestic and international corporations over the American people.
A new report authored by Public Citizen Democracy Advocate Jon Golinger titled “Meet Susie Wiles’ Controversial Corporate Lobbying Clients,” reveals Wiles represented 42 clients as a federal government lobbyist from 2017 to 2024 and continued to work as a lobbyist while simultaneously serving as a senior official for Trump’s 2024 campaign. Wiles’ list of controversial clients who sought government action includes: a waste management company that has resisted removing nuclear waste from its radioactive landfill, a foreign copper and gold mining company that wants to eliminate federal opposition to its plan to dig a massive mine in a pristine watershed and a tobacco company that sought to block federal health restrictions on its candy-flavored cigars, which the Food and Drug Administration has found are attractive to kids.
“By putting a corporate lobbyist in charge of his administration with his first act as president-elect, Trump is hanging a ‘For Sale’ sign on the front door of the White House,” said Golinger. “A lobbyist with this record of controversial representation and a minefield of potential conflicts of interest should not go near the Oval Office, much less be White House Chief of Staff.”
According to federal lobbying filings, Wiles was registered to lobby the White House, Congress and at least eight federal agencies. Wiles also lobbied for a wide range of clients including large corporations, trade associations, federal contractors and a foreign political party on matters involving government regulation, federal policy, and business development. If installed as chief of staff, Wiles could help her former clients get government approvals, permits and contracts.
In the event that Wiles’ appointment proceeds, Public Citizen calls on Wiles to, prior to assuming the White House Chief of staff position on January 20, 2025:
1)Disclose the full list of what exactly she did for each client she lobbied the federal government for: the names of the individuals she lobbied, what she asked those individuals to do or not to do, and what resulted from her lobbying.
2)Recuse herself from all decision-making involving her past lobbying clients and the federal agencies that are making decisions that affect her lobbying clients.
3)Accept a Voluntary Permanent Post-Employment Ban on Lobbying the White House or Federal Government on behalf of any clients after she leaves the White House.