Taylor Budowich is an American political consultant who has worked in conservative politics, including as executive director of the Tea Party Express and MAGA Inc. and in communications roles for Donald Trump’s political operations. He has been involved in various campaigns and policy initiatives, working on education policy, political advocacy, and communications strategy.
Early life
editBudowich was born in Sacramento, California, into a working-class family.[1] His father, Kirk Budowich, worked as a repair technician for washers and dryers, while his mother worked as a bookkeeper and administrator.[1] Budowich was born with a diaphragmatic hernia, requiring two surgeries shortly after birth.[1] According to The Sacramento Bee, his mother recounted his physical struggles and the slim five percent chance of survival.[1] At age nine, Budowich gained local attention for donating a Nintendo set he won to the Ronald McDonald House.[1] His father died when Budowich was 17.[1]
Budowich graduated from El Camino Fundamental High School.[1] He attended the American University in Cairo in 2011 but was forced to evacuate during the Arab Spring.[1] Budowich later wrote about witnessing societal upheaval and the fall of president Hosni Mubarak.[1] He did not complete his degree in Cairo and returned to Sacramento to pursue a career in politics.[1]
Career
editEarly political activities
editBudowich interned for U.S. representative Doris Matsui and Sacramento mayor Heather Fargo, both Democrats.[1] After returning from Cairo, he joined the Tea Party Express, a California-based conservative organization led by political consultant Sal Russo.[1] Budowich became the organization's spokesman in 2012, traveling across the country to organize rallies supporting conservative candidates, including U.S. senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. By age 25, he was executive director of the Tea Party Express, overseeing media responses and contributing to the group's influence in national Republican politics.[1]
In 2015, Budowich expressed cautious optimism about Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy.[1] Although initially skeptical, he noted the need for candidates to go beyond channeling voter frustration with Washington, D.C..[1]
Transition to national politics
editAfter Trump’s election in 2016, Budowich highlighted the continuity between the Tea Party movement and Trump’s presidency, advocating for cooperation among conservatives to advance policy goals.[1] In 2017, he joined the political action committee of Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran and later worked as deputy policy director for education during Governor Ron DeSantis’s transition.[1] During this period, Budowich contributed to expanding school choice and dismantling Common Core standards in Florida.[1]
Budowich served as a spokesperson for Donald Trump following Trump’s first term as President of the United States.[2] His role in this capacity involved managing communications and messaging strategies for the former president.[2]
By 2019, Budowich began working for Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, traveling with members of the Trump family.[1] Following Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, Budowich briefly left the operation to establish his own political consultancy.[1]
In July 2021, Budowich joined Trump’s Save America PAC as communications director.[1] In this role, he managed the dissemination of Trump’s statements, especially as the former president faced bans from major social media platforms.[1] His responsibilities included amplifying Trump’s voice through press releases and coordinating outreach with journalists.[1][2]
In 2022, Budowich launched and directed MAGA Inc. a political action committee (PAC) that supported Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.[2] The organization played a role in campaign financing and promoting the former president’s political initiatives during this period.[2]
Legal disputes
editIn 2021, the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack subpoenaed Budowich, alleging his involvement in activities leading up to the event.[1] Budowich denied the accusations and stated that he was in Sacramento on January 6.[1] He provided over 400 pages of financial records and testified before the committee.[1] However, a subpoena for additional bank records led to a legal challenge from Budowich, who argued the move violated his right to financial privacy.[1]
In 2023, Budowich appeared before a federal grand jury in Miami as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents.[3] Budowich testified for less than an hour, fulfilling a legal obligation to answer questions related to the inquiry.[3] Following his testimony, Budowich stated on social media that he had "answered every question honestly" and described the investigation as "a bogus and deeply troubling effort to use the power of government to 'get' Trump."[3]
White House
editIn 2024, Budowich was appointed to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Personnel and Assistant to the President.[2] His appointment was announced alongside other key administration members, including Dan Scavino, Stephen Miller, and James Blair.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Korte, Lara (February 16, 2022). "A Sacramento kid grew up to be a voice for Donald Trump. Now he's fighting Jan. 6 subpoenas". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Trump appoints Sacramento man to senior White House position". abc10.com. 2024-11-14. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
- ^ a b c Polantz, Katelyn (2023-06-07). "Former Trump aide appears before grand jury in classified documents probe | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2024-11-15.