The White House, under chief of staff Stephen Miller, moves to restrict internal meetings involving lobbyists in Washington, D.C. The change is presented as a departure from the approach used under Miller’s predecessor, when lobbyist-related relationship-building was more prominent.
The New York Times reports that the policy is framed as an effort to demonstrate independence from special interests following broader “influence peddling” allegations. The Washington Examiner similarly describes Miller’s crackdown, contrasting it with Susie Wiles’ prior role, including her background as a managing partner and lobbyist at Ballard Partners. Together, the coverage emphasizes both the operational change—curbing lobbyist meetings—and the political rationale—signaling that the White House wants to separate decision-making from lobbying access, though outlets differ mainly in how strongly they foreground the controversy context.
