Aug.21

electoral-vote.com

Dem 47

   

GOP 53

How to Influence Trump

One good way of influencing Donald Trump is being Laura Loomer. Bill Maher suggested Laura Loomer's influence over Donald Trump comes from her sleeping with him. Loomer denied that and sued him for defamation. She was defended by The Bulwark's Tim Miller (who hates her), because there have been no "pu**y-grabbing" incidents for years, which led Miller to surmise that such an affair would not be technically possible. Nevertheless Loomer's influence continues.

What are some of her greatest hits? First, she got the issuance of visas to people from Gaza halted. After all, they might like it better in the U.S. and just stay. They are also (mostly) Muslims, and Loomer has made very clear that she despises Muslims. Second, she got five members of the National Security Council cashiered for suspicion of not being sufficiently Trumpy. Third, she got the FDA's top vaccine regulator fired (but he was later reinstated). Since she has Trump's ear, she likely has many more successes without it being known it was her work.

Of course, for people and companies that want to affect U.S. policy and who aren't Loomer, that won't work. For them, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen at Axios have put together a list of things folks who want to influence Trump need to be aware of. Here it is (thank you, Jim and Mike):

• Put a Sock in It: There are only downsides for saying nasty things about Trump, his policies, and his allies. There are many Loomeroids out there looking for signs of disloyalty and who are ready to pounce on anyone exhibiting any. Make sure you have not said anything that could be seen as being critical.
  
  
• Put a Sock in the Mouths of Others: If any of your friends, associates, partners, or anyone connected to you says anything nasty about Trump or Trumpworld, you could be blamed. Guilt by association is the law of the land. Make sure everyone around you understands this completely.
  
  
• Don't Overreact: If Trump says something terrible that might have an undesirable effect on you, your company, your country or your anything, keep quiet. Don't respond. He might forget. He often does. Remember: TACO.
  
  
• Trump Has Two Ears: One ear is open only to MAGA purists. You need to understand these people. Alternatively, you need to hire a Trump whisperer who can make your case to him. But the other ear is open to more rational actors, like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Ideally you need to get through to both ears to have a good chance.
  
  
• Everything's Negotiable: Trump loves to make big deals. Apple's promise to invest $100 billion sometime, some place, somehow is music to his ears. Blackmailing Nvidia into paying a 15% export tax on advanced chips needed for AI sold to China is a deal. Banning the export of key AI chips to China is not a deal, even though that would be good for America. Make sure you have an easy-to-explain deal.
  
  
• It's WWE or Reality TV: To Trump, it is all about the 3 Ps: pageantry, posturing and PR. It has to make a good show. If you can make what you want into a good show for him, with a win at the end, do it. One problem is that for him a win is really only a win if the other side loses. He doesn't like win-win situations.
  
  
• Kiss Ass: Trump loves gifts, especially if they are gold. But he has gotten surprisingly good at sniffing out toadies. Grandeur is good, but simple bootlicking is not. Explain how your deal will benefit him personally.
  
  
• Get Face-to-Face: Trump is basically a coward. He will say and write horrible, disgusting things about people but he is afraid to say it to their faces. You need to get one-on-one time with him in private. Not easy, so you need to work the gatekeepers—for example, by emphasizing how what you want helps Trump personally.
  
  
• The Deal Is Never Done: After you have worked out a deal completely and it is ready to be executed, Trump could change his mind. He often does. He sees reneging on promises as a perfectly valid negotiating technique. Even if the contract is signed and the work carried out, he could still change his mind. Expect this.
  
  
• Play the Long Game: We are barely one-sixth of the way through Trump's term. You need to keep these things in mind for many months—in fact until Jan. 20, 2029.
  
  
• Pony Up: The best way to get through to Trump is to pony up. Consider buying a couple of plates at a MAGA Inc. dinner. For a mere $1 million/plate, you get some rubber chicken and a few minutes talking to Trump. This gets your foot in the door, but make sure you have an elevator pitch that gets you more face-to-face time later on.
  

All of this may go against your basic principles, but this is how it works now. You have been warned. (V)