Breaking through in Trump’s attention economy

John Murray is CEO of Monument Advocacy. Jordan Wood is vice president of public affairs at Monument Advocacy.

In President Donald Trump’s Washington, companies are judged not only by what they say in private but by what they show in public. According to recent reports, the White House has built a loyalty list, grading companies on alignment and visibility. It tracks who engages, how they do it and whether they’re seen as supportive of the administration’s priorities. That reality is reshaping how corporate America must approach media strategy.

In the past, companies relied on Beltway lobbying and quiet outreach to build credibility. Now, the bar has been raised, and the expectation is to show your work through press releases, video testimonials, social posts, attendance at White House events, and earned media in the right outlets. Just as important is packaging those efforts so senior aides can easily elevate them.

Axios recently observed that influence in Trump’s orbit operates in two spheres. One revolves around MAGA-aligned operatives and influencers that shape the movement’s daily conversation, while the other runs through more traditional, mainstream power brokers inside and around the White House. Companies that show up in both spheres are the ones that remain relevant.

In Trump’s first term, officials still tracked legacy outlets like The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and CNN — despite the frequent clashes with “fake news.” Today, the White House’s attention is firmly on conservative media. Fox News dominates cable, averaging roughly 2.63 million primetime viewers in Q2 2025 — a 25% increase year-over-year — and millions more across online platforms. On top of that, right-leaning online shows now command 82%of total subscribers across platforms, and nine of the 10 most-followed programs are right-leaning. These include entertainment, sports and comedy content that regularly embeds political messages — meaning the conservative media ecosystem now extends far beyond conventional political news. This surge in reach means companies trying to get on the administration’s radar can’t rely on legacy media attention alone. They have to be visible in the channels the White House is watching most closely.

Many companies find this environment uneasy or confusing, but what matters is preparation. Openings can appear suddenly, whether it’s a new jobs report, a policy rollout or a major investment announcement. The companies that can connect their work to administration priorities, where possible, are the ones that break through.

The playbook revolves around three main points:

1. Find the overlap. You may not agree with or prioritize every policy, but there are almost always intersections, such as manufacturing, jobs, energy, law enforcement, public health. Position your work so those connections are clear and ready to highlight when the moment comes.
2. Get in their feed. Trump’s team pays closer attention to buzzy conservative outlets – think Fox segments or Breitbart – than to outlets previously prioritized in other administrations. When an issue spikes, whether it’s a rollout, controversy or major announcement, those are the feeds they scan first. If your company isn’t surfacing there, decision-makers may never connect you to the story.
3. Bring receipts. Relevant staff, including the Rapid Response Team, are looking for proof points to reinforce White House wins. Translate your work into clear examples (job creation, safety outcomes, economic impact) and package them in formats that can travel. That means paid ads in the right outlets, videos, thought leadership aligned with administration priorities, and social posts that can be quickly flagged. Without collateral that can be pushed, even strong proof points struggle to break through.

Trump’s communications style leaves many companies paralyzed, unsure of how or when to engage. The key is to find common ground and show you can be useful when priorities align. Private conversations are important, but what really gets noticed are the visible moves — a press release about a new investment, a workforce roundtable with cabinet officials or simple numbers that show job creation. Not every situation calls for going public, but when you have a clear policy goal in mind, companies that prepare now with their government and public affairs teams to package examples are the ones best positioned to stay on the radar when opportunities arise.

In an environment where Trump can single out a company at any moment, clarity and presence decide whether you’re seen as a partner — or left on the sidelines.