During the third quarter of 2025, some of Washington’s biggest lobbying firms have recorded unprecedented revenue, with the ones closely tied to President Donald Trump or his administration leading the way in the influence game. Ballard Partners stood out, earning over $25 million in lobbying fees, breaking the firm’s previous record of $20.7 million the previous quarter. This growth is also evident in the company’s expansion, as it plans to add 5,000 square feet of new office space in the coming weeks. This expansion is a testament to the transformation taking place in the lobbying sector under Trump’s second term. The biggest winners of this shift aren’t the typical big law firms that have maintained a bipartisan approach and a deep bench of experienced lobbyists, but rather the select few that have managed to get a foothold in the West Wing.
The traditional firms, which have built their reputations on careful curating of their rosters to ensure they are insulated from political shifts, are finding their value supplanted by the consolidation of federal authority within the White House. John Raffaelli, a Democratic lobbyist, noted in an email that the industry is in an adjustment phase due to the significant changes in lobbying needs under Trump’s administration, a shift that is not normally seen with a ‘new’ president. Ballard Partners is perhaps the most prominent of these new leaders, with the firm reporting roughly three dozen new clients during the third quarter, including major international business lobbies, high-profile U.S. cities, and prominent corporations. The firm has also secured several lucrative lobbying contracts, highlighting its growing influence in the political arena.