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Trump-connected Ballard Partners has agreed to represent Chinese video app TikTok.
President Joe Biden signed a bill into law on April 24 requiring TikTok owner, Bytedance, to divest the video app within a year, or face a ban in the US.
The move follows Congressional concerns over Bytedance’s close ties with the Chinese Communist Party, and the potential of TikTok to hoover up the data of American users.
Donald Trump, who championed TikTok’s split from Bytedance, now opposes the divestiture because he claims it would benefit Facebook, which he calls “the enemy of the people.”
His flip-flop also may have been influenced by news that the investment firm of billionaire Jeff Yass, a Republican mega-donor, owns a 15 percent stake in Bytedance.
Brian Ballard, a top Trump fundraiser in Florida, heads his firm’s TikTok team.
Dan McFaul, aide to Florida Congressmen Joe Scarborough and Matt Gaetz; Michael LaRosa, advisor to Speaker Nancy Pelosi; and Stephen Klopp, deputy assistant sergeant at arms at the Senate, round out the Ballard TikTok squad.
Anthropic, the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence start-up, has retained Republican powerhouse firm Fierce Government Relations for DC representation.
Chad Horrell, who was senior manager for government relations at DoorDash, has joined BGR Group as VP in its state and local practice.
Continental Strategy, which has close ties with the Trump administration, has registered Geneva-based Rolex as a client for services regarding the tariffs on watch imports.
Kimberly-Clark calls on Ballard Partners as it moves to acquires Kenvue, maker of Tylenol. 
Brett Horton, who was chief of staff to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, has joined the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. as its chief advocacy officer, a new position.
