WASHINGTON (AP) — Six of President Donald Trump’s top campaign aides have banded together to start a nonprofit called “America First Policies” to back the White House agenda.
The group includes Trump’s digital and data director Brad Parscale, onetime deputy campaign manager Rick Gates and two campaign advisers to Vice President Mike Pence, Nick Ayers and Marty Obst.
David Bossie and Katrina Pierson also will be involved, according to a statement announcing the group.
“Some of the same like-minded individuals who put their energy into getting Mr. Trump elected are now going to be part of a grassroots group to go out there and help with the agenda, help the White House be successful,” Parscale said.
The large — and so far title-less — group of founders is aimed at quelling reports of dissention among campaign advisers who did not go into the White House. Republican donors Robert and Rebekah Mercer, who finance a data research shop called Cambridge Analytica, have been mulling starting a separate nonprofit.
Ayers and Bossie have close ties to the Mercers.
Parscale said the group aims to “build something unique, just like we did with the campaign.”
America First Policies will conduct research into public policies and try to promote Trump’s favored causes, such as dismantling and replacing President Barack Obama’s health care law and changing immigration policies. One of its first tasks is likely to be a vocal advocate for Trump’s Supreme Court pick, which the president said he would announce Tuesday night.
“This goes beyond Trump supporters,” Gates said. “We’re trying to capture all people who believe in the Trump agenda.”
Obama also started a nonprofit group, called Organizing for Action, to back his agenda.
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