Foreign Governments and Corporations Spend Millions with Trump-Linked Lobbying Firm in Washington
Ballard Partners reports multimillion-dollar revenue from international clients as geopolitical influence and access to the U.S. administration intensify
A Trump-aligned Washington lobbying firm has received millions of dollars from foreign governments, companies and investment funds since President Donald Trump’s return to office, underscoring the growing role of foreign interests in engaging with U.S. policy makers.
Lobbying disclosures and registration documents show that Ballard Partners, a firm with close ties to senior Trump advisers, earned substantial fees in 2025 from clients based outside the United States.
Several of the firm’s top spenders during the past year were foreign entities or companies with significant international business interests.
These included Balkan Energy, an oil and gas company with links to Dubai; TotalEnergies, which paid for support on a liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique; and Korea Zinc, the world’s largest zinc smelter, which engaged the firm on critical minerals policy.
TikTok’s owner ByteDance also retained Ballard Partners as it negotiated U.S. ownership arrangements and regulatory issues, reflecting the firm’s cross-sector appeal.
Together, these foreign-connected clients and others paid the firm more than $7 million for lobbying services in 2025.
In addition to corporate clients, Ballard Partners has registered under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act to represent foreign governments and state entities.
Filings list contracts with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan and Saudi Arabia, with annual fees ranging from roughly $1 million to $2 million.
In late 2025, the firm also signed a multiyear agreement with Uzbekistan’s national oil and gas company worth up to $1 million annually, illustrating continued international demand for influence and strategic engagement in Washington.
One of the most notable foreign-linked clients was the New Era Fund, a defence and aerospace investment partnership connected to Saudi Arabia.
The fund spent roughly $1.2 million in 2025 on lobbying and related strategy, and although filings indicated that the firm reported no direct contacts with Congress or federal agencies on that account, the level of spending reflects the commercial and geopolitical weight of the project.
Engagements with foreign clients have coincided with broader strategic cooperation between the United States and its partners, particularly in areas such as defence industrial collaboration and supply chain development.
Ballard Partners was founded by Brian Ballard and is widely regarded as one of Washington’s most connected Republican-oriented lobbying firms, routinely ranked among the top revenue earners in the U.S. market.
Its growth since Trump’s return to the White House has mirrored a broader surge in lobbying demand from both domestic and international actors seeking policy influence during a period marked by geopolitical uncertainty, evolving trade relationships and regulatory change.
Because foreign lobbying is regulated under FARA, firms like Ballard are required to disclose their clients and payments, although the scale and complexity of international contracts can vary widely.
The firm declined to comment on specific lobbying arrangements when asked by outside analysts.
Lobbying disclosures and registration documents show that Ballard Partners, a firm with close ties to senior Trump advisers, earned substantial fees in 2025 from clients based outside the United States.
Several of the firm’s top spenders during the past year were foreign entities or companies with significant international business interests.
These included Balkan Energy, an oil and gas company with links to Dubai; TotalEnergies, which paid for support on a liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique; and Korea Zinc, the world’s largest zinc smelter, which engaged the firm on critical minerals policy.
TikTok’s owner ByteDance also retained Ballard Partners as it negotiated U.S. ownership arrangements and regulatory issues, reflecting the firm’s cross-sector appeal.
Together, these foreign-connected clients and others paid the firm more than $7 million for lobbying services in 2025.
In addition to corporate clients, Ballard Partners has registered under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act to represent foreign governments and state entities.
Filings list contracts with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan and Saudi Arabia, with annual fees ranging from roughly $1 million to $2 million.
In late 2025, the firm also signed a multiyear agreement with Uzbekistan’s national oil and gas company worth up to $1 million annually, illustrating continued international demand for influence and strategic engagement in Washington.
One of the most notable foreign-linked clients was the New Era Fund, a defence and aerospace investment partnership connected to Saudi Arabia.
The fund spent roughly $1.2 million in 2025 on lobbying and related strategy, and although filings indicated that the firm reported no direct contacts with Congress or federal agencies on that account, the level of spending reflects the commercial and geopolitical weight of the project.
Engagements with foreign clients have coincided with broader strategic cooperation between the United States and its partners, particularly in areas such as defence industrial collaboration and supply chain development.
Ballard Partners was founded by Brian Ballard and is widely regarded as one of Washington’s most connected Republican-oriented lobbying firms, routinely ranked among the top revenue earners in the U.S. market.
Its growth since Trump’s return to the White House has mirrored a broader surge in lobbying demand from both domestic and international actors seeking policy influence during a period marked by geopolitical uncertainty, evolving trade relationships and regulatory change.
Because foreign lobbying is regulated under FARA, firms like Ballard are required to disclose their clients and payments, although the scale and complexity of international contracts can vary widely.
The firm declined to comment on specific lobbying arrangements when asked by outside analysts.
