Samsung Electronics has tapped a Republican-aligned lobbying firm to strengthen its foothold in Washington. The move comes after Hyundai Motor Group’s high-profile $21 billion U.S. investment announcement at the White House on March 24. Since Samsung is the only South Korean conglomerate capable of investing on par with Hyundai, industry insiders are closely watching to see whether Samsung will follow suit.
Adding to the stakes, subsidies that the former Biden administration promised Samsung under the CHIPS Act, a U.S. law that President Donald Trump has vowed to repeal, hang in the balance.
According to congressional filings submitted on March 25, Samsung Electronics hired Continental Strategy, a Florida-based lobbying firm founded by Carlos Trujillo, a lobbyist who served as the former U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States during the first Trump administration. With Trump back in the White House, Continental has seen its business boom and recently expanded its Washington, D.C. office.
Particularly noteworthy is that Katie Wiles, daughter of White House Chief of Staff Susan Wiles, is a partner at the firm. Katie was promoted to partner last November following her mother’s nomination as Chief of Staff. At the time, Continental said she would “open up new avenues for us to grow as we build on the momentum of Trump’s landslide victory.” Republican Rep. Byron Donalds backed the move, saying, “Continental is lucky to have her.”
Samsung’s lobbying team at Continental includes several well-connected Republican figures: Alberto Martinez, former chief of staff to Senator Marco Rubio, Daniel Gomez, a former aide to Republican Senator Deb Fischer, and Trujillo. The firm will advocate for Samsung on telecommunications, consumer electronics, semiconductors, supply chain, and trade issues.
Samsung is building semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Taylor, Texas, and other locations and was awarded $4.745 billion in subsidies from the Biden administration last year—about 12.8% of its total investment. However, Trump’s repeated calls to repeal the CHIPS Act have raised concerns that Samsung may ultimately not receive those subsidies. Covington & Burling, the Washington D.C. law firm that represented Samsung during the subsidy application process, has become a target of Trump’s criticism, adding to Samsung’s woes. Trump has accused the firm of “weaponizing the judicial process” and even signed an executive order to limit its influence.
Samsung has reportedly ended its contract with WestExec Advisors, a consulting firm co-founded in 2017 by high-profile Democrats, including former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former Deputy Defense Secretary Michèle Flournoy. WestExec had been advising Samsung on regulatory and policy matters. The contract termination has fueled speculation that Samsung is realigning its lobbying strategy to build closer ties with Trump’s inner circle.
