One of the most powerful lobbying firms in Washington, D.C. with offices in prime locations around Florida, Ballard Partners will represent the popular Chinese-owned video app TikTok.
The popular video app TikTok is facing increasing regulatory pressure, and Ballard Partners will be up for that fight, having close ties to Donald Trump, and a strong fundraising network on his behalf.
In April 2024, US President Joe Biden signed into law an act obliging TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app within a year or risk a ban in the United States. This legislation has been passed following concerns over links between ByteDance and the Chinese government, and potential risks of data of American users.
Trump campaigned on divesting TikTok but now opposes the forced divestiture and says it will only serve Facebook, an entity he finds himself frequently criticizing. His turnabout may also be motivated by the fact that major Republican donor Jeff Yass has a huge stake in ByteDance.
Headed by top Republican fundraiser and confidant to Trump, Brian Ballard, Ballard Partners represents TikTok. Reportedly working with him are lobbyists Dan McFaul, Michael LaRosa, and Stephen Klopp.
