Ballard Partners is a major U.S. lobbying and government-relations firm (also involved in public affairs). It was founded in 1998 in Tallahassee, Florida, by Brian D. Ballard (initially as Smith & Ballard with his father-in-law Jim Smith, a former Florida Secretary of State). The firm was renamed Ballard Partners after Smith left in 2011.Wikipedia
It is headquartered in Tallahassee with a significant Washington, D.C., presence (opened in 2017 after Donald Trump’s first election win), plus offices in other U.S. cities and some international locations. Services focus on lobbying, government relations, legislative advocacy, and public affairs for corporate, institutional, and foreign clients.Wikipedia
Ties to Susie Wiles and the Trump orbit
The firm is widely noted for its connections to the Trump administration and Republican politics. Brian Ballard is a longtime Trump ally, fundraiser (he helped raise roughly $50 million for the 2024 campaign), and former representative of the Trump Organization in Florida.Wikipedia
Susie Wiles (later White House Chief of Staff in Trump’s second term) worked at Ballard Partners for years. She joined around 2011 in a senior Florida role (including as Jacksonville managing partner) and later worked in the firm’s Washington office after 2017. She left around 2019, citing health reasons (some accounts mention tensions involving then-Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, though Ballard and Wiles have said that was not the reason). She subsequently joined Mercury Public Affairs before leading Trump’s 2024 campaign and serving as Chief of Staff.Wikipedia
The firm also employed Pam Bondi (later Attorney General) as a partner. These alumni links, combined with Ballard’s personal access and fundraising, have made the firm especially prominent under Trump administrations.
Recent prominence
After Trump’s 2024 election, Ballard Partners signed hundreds of new clients (corporations, universities such as Harvard, tech/crypto firms, energy companies, and foreign interests). It reported very high lobbying revenue in 2025 (around $88 million, making it one of the top or the top firm in Washington that year by some measures).Wikipedia
In short, Ballard Partners is a high-profile, Trump-connected K Street/Florida lobbying firm whose past employment of figures like Susie Wiles and Pam Bondi has amplified its influence and client demand.
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Notes to Readers:
Don’t get too comfortable with any of Trump’s staff or his VP. This is a military operation. The Swamp Rats are being exposed on all sides of the aisle. Susie Wiles was/is a Swamp Rat with ties to Israel.
Susie Wiles and
Eliza Ayres, Sunny’s Journal
