In addition to donors, California is home to many prominent members of Trump’s campaigns and his administration — a fact that is unsurprising given the number of powerful conservative organizations in the state, said Charles Moran, a Los Angeles delegate to the state GOP and president of Log Cabin Republicans.
“Even though it’s a very blue voter state, California still continues to produce a lot of really important dynamics in Republican politics,” he said.
The state is home to conservative organizations such as the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, the Claremont Institute in Upland and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, which contributes to the late president’s library in Simi Valley, the site of Wednesday’s GOP debate, Moran noted.
“You’ve got a lot of thought leadership that originates in this state,” he said. “This state still has a cachet to it and a lot of brainpower for conservatives.”
Californians who held pivotal roles in Trump’s White House and campaigns include:
Stephen K. Bannon
(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)
The former chairman of Breitbart News, which was founded in a Westwood basement, was chief executive officer of Trump’s 2016 campaign, and after the election served as senior counselor to the then-president for several months.
In 2020, Bannon and others were accused by a federal grand jury of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering through a campaign to build a border wall. Trump pardoned Bannon shortly before his term ended. However, New York state prosecutors pursued the allegations, and a trial is expected next year.
In July of 2022, Bannon was convicted of two criminal charges over his refusal to comply with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. He is appealing.
John Eastman
(Susan Walsh / Associated Press)
The constitutional law professor and dean at Chapman University’s law school retired after protests over his speech at the rally before the Jan. 6 attack, when he falsely claimed that Georgia ballot machines had been rigged to favor Biden and then-Democratic Senate candidate Jon Ossoff.
Eastman is one of Trump’s 18 co-defendants in a George criminal case, charged with participating in a conspiracy to interfere with the 2020 election results. He pleaded not guilty earlier this month.
Richard Grenell
The controversial Coachella Valley resident was the first openly gay person to serve a president at the Cabinet level as Trump’s acting director of national intelligence. He also served as ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020, and as special presidential envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations from 2019 to 2021.
Stephen Miller
(Evan Vucci / Associated Press)
The Santa Monica native, a senior policy advisor and director of speechwriting for Trump, was instrumental in shaping some of the former president’s most prominent and controversial policies, including the ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries early in Trump’s administration, and the separation of migrant children from their parents. Miller also helped write Trump’s inaugural speech as well as his remarks at the rally that preceded the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Steven T. Mnuchin
(Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)
The wealthy investment banker, a New York native, has deep ties to California, with a home here and investments in dozens of Hollywood films. He is credited as an executive producer of movies including “Jersey Boys,” “American Sniper,” “The Lego Movie” and “Wonder Woman.”
The national finance chair for Trump’s 2016 campaign, Mnuchin served as Treasury secretary for the entirety of the Republican’s administration.
Peter Navarro
(Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)
The former UC Irvine professor served as a trade advisor to Trump. He was convicted of contempt of Congress for failing to comply with a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. Navarro, who faces up to a year in jail as well as fines, is expected to be sentenced in January. His attorneys have moved for a mistrial.
Robert O’Brien
(Evan Vucci / Associated Press)
O’Brien was Trump’s final national security advisor. He previously served in the administration as the nation’s lead hostage negotiator, including attending the trial of American rapper ASAP Rocky in Stockholm at the then-president’s behest. He also helped extricate Americans from Turkey, Iran and Yemen.
The prominent Los Angeles lawyer previously served in the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Several prominent members of Trump’s 2024 campaign, including senior advisor Brian Jack, spokesman Jason Miller and Cheung also have California ties.
