Trump-allied dark money group joins forces with a think tank run by ex-president's former aides
Former U.S. President Donald Trump reacts at his first post-presidency campaign rally at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio, U.S., June 26, 2021. Shannon Stapleton | Reuters

A dark money group that once promoted former President Donald Trump's policies is joining forces with a think tank headed in part by former key members of his administration, including Larry Kudlow and Linda McMahon. America First Works launched after Trump's 2016 victory and was previously known as America First Policies. It was reformed and changed its name after Trump lost his bid for reelection. Now the group is working directly with another freshly formed nonprofit organization, think tank America First Policy Institute, according to Ashley Hayek, a Trump campaign veteran who has a leadership role at America First Works and is also chief engagement officer for the think tank. Other leaders at the AFPI think tank include: CEO Brooke Rollins, who was once the director of domestic policy in Trump's White House

Board chair McMahon, a former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment

Board vice chair Kudlow, who was director of the National Economic Council under Trump Neither America First Works nor America First Policy Institute is required by law to publicly disclose their donors. America First Works has given money to a group that claimed to have helped write Georgia's voting law and another organization that is pushing to amend the Constitution to further impose limits on the federal government's powers. The groups' collaboration comes as Trump considers running for the White House again in 2024. They could provide another platform for Trump and his allies to keep his "America First" agenda in the spotlight. Members of the think tank have been moving ahead with publicly promoting these pro-Trump policies through op-eds, interviews and pre-recorded videos.

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While it's unclear how much cash AFPI has on hand, Axios reported that it has a first year budget of $20 million. It was launched earlier this year. America First Works finished 2020 with just over $7 million in assets, according to their annual 990 tax filing. America First Works is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, which by law can engage in some partisan politics, while America First Policy Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which by law should be nonpartisan. The group claims on its website that it is nonpartisan despite being aligned with the former president. Hayek told CNBC that America First Works was formed "as a new organization to work closely with AFPI" and as "an extension of AFPI, it is entirely focused on advancing policy at all levels of government, including to promote economic opportunity, school choice, affordable healthcare, foster care reform, election integrity, and criminal justice reform."

Trump himself has openly supported the America First Policy Institute. The former president spoke during a gala for the nonprofit earlier this month at his private Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. While he promoted accomplishments from his time in office, some members of the crowd cheered "Let's go Brandon," a slogan used by pro-Trump conservatives to mean "F***k Joe Biden," according to a video of his remarks posted by the group. Trump also took aim at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., calling him an "old crow." The America First Policy Institute says its research focuses on analyzing the policies that Trump and his allies termed as "America First." They have pushed back on elements of President Joe Biden's agenda, including with how his administration has handled illegal border crossings and a Covid vaccine mandate for private businesses. The group recently published a video that takes aim at Biden's pick for comptroller of the currency, Saule Omarova, who has been subject to attacks on her upbringing as well as critiques of her policy ideas. The think tanks policy priorities include criminal justice reforms, fighting back against Big Tech companies and lowering taxes. The group also lists as their priorities as "election integrity" and "critical race theory" as areas of concern. The group has supported voting laws recently passed in Texas that critics say restrict access to the ballot box. In op-eds posted on AFPI's website, leaders of the think tank have called on parents to fight back against the teachings of critical race theory, a college and post-graduate academic that examines the impact of racism on American institutions and policies. It became a hot-button issue that was used by Republican Glenn Youngkin in his successful gubernatorial campaign in Virginia.

A growing influence network