1. VIDEO OVERVIEW

Title: “Congressional Relations: How to work with Members”

Runtime: 23:43

Speaker: Hugh Fike and James Braid

YouTube: Project 2025 Private Training Video: Working With Congress (Transcript)

This video, part of Project 2025’s Presidential Administration Academy, focuses on providing practical advice to conservative political appointees on how to effectively navigate relationships with Congress. Hugh Fike and James Braid, both former officials in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during the Trump administration, deliver the presentation. They offer insights into the structure and function of Congress, the importance of building relationships with key members and staff, and strategies for advancing the President’s agenda through legislative channels.

While presented as a guide to effective Congressional relations, the video subtly reinforces Project 2025’s broader themes of maximizing executive power and minimizing the role of Congress. Fike and Braid emphasize the importance of controlling information, framing the narrative, and using legislative tactics to advance a conservative agenda, even if it means circumventing or outmaneuvering Congress.

2. KEY THEMES & FRAMEWORKS

  • Understanding the Congressional Landscape: The video provides an overview of the structure and function of Congress, highlighting the different committees, the legislative process, and the roles of individual members and staff. This aims to equip appointees with the knowledge they need to navigate the legislative landscape.
  • Building Relationships and Cultivating Allies: Fike and Braid emphasize the importance of building relationships with key members of Congress and their staff, particularly those who are aligned with a conservative agenda. They suggest that these relationships can be crucial for advancing the President’s priorities and for overcoming legislative obstacles.
  • Controlling Information and Framing the Narrative: The video stresses the importance of controlling information and framing the narrative when interacting with Congress, suggesting that appointees should be proactive in communicating the administration’s message and in countering opposing viewpoints.
  • Using Legislative Tactics Strategically: Fike and Braid discuss various legislative tactics that appointees can use to advance the President’s agenda, including working with allies to introduce legislation, shaping amendments, and using the budget process to influence policy outcomes.
  • Executive Branch Dominance (Implied): While not explicitly stated, the video’s emphasis on controlling information, framing the narrative, and using legislative tactics subtly suggests a desire to minimize the role of Congress and to maximize the power of the executive branch in the policymaking process.

3. DETAILED BREAKDOWN

3.1 Introduction: The Importance of Congressional Relations

Fike and Braid begin by emphasizing the importance of strong Congressional relations for a successful administration. They argue that working effectively with Congress is essential for passing legislation, securing funding, and confirming presidential appointments.

Quote: “Congressional relations are critical for any administration. You need to have a good working relationship with Congress if you want to get things done.”

3.2 Understanding the Congressional Landscape

The speakers provide an overview of the structure and function of Congress, highlighting the different committees, the legislative process, and the roles of individual members and staff. They explain how bills are introduced, debated, amended, and voted on, and they discuss the importance of understanding the committee structure and the power of committee chairs.

Quote: “Congress is a complex institution, but it’s important to understand how it works if you want to be effective in your job.”

3.3 Building Relationships: “It’s All About Relationships”

Fike and Braid emphasize the importance of building relationships with key members of Congress and their staff, particularly those who are aligned with a conservative agenda. They suggest that these relationships can be crucial for advancing the President’s priorities and for overcoming legislative obstacles.

  • Identifying Key Players: They encourage appointees to identify key members of Congress and their staff who are likely to be supportive of the administration’s agenda.
  • Building Rapport: They stress the importance of building rapport with these individuals, getting to know them personally, and understanding their interests and priorities.
  • Providing Information: They suggest that appointees should be proactive in providing information to members of Congress and their staff, keeping them informed about the administration’s policies and initiatives.
  • Seeking Input: They encourage appointees to seek input from members of Congress and their staff, listening to their concerns and considering their perspectives.

Quote: “It’s all about relationships. You need to build relationships with members of Congress and their staff if you want to be successful.”

3.4 Controlling Information and Framing the Narrative

The video stresses the importance of controlling information and framing the narrative when interacting with Congress. Fike and Braid suggest that appointees should be proactive in communicating the administration’s message and in countering opposing viewpoints.

  • Developing Talking Points: They encourage appointees to develop clear and concise talking points that they can use to communicate the administration’s message to members of Congress and the media.
  • Anticipating Questions: They suggest that appointees should anticipate questions from members of Congress and be prepared with answers that support the administration’s position.
  • Correcting Misinformation: They encourage appointees to be proactive in correcting misinformation and to challenge false narratives that are being spread by opponents.

Quote: “You need to control the narrative. You need to be the one telling your story, not your opponents.”

3.5 Using Legislative Tactics

Fike and Braid discuss various legislative tactics that appointees can use to advance the President’s agenda, including:

  • Working with Allies: They encourage appointees to work with allies in Congress to introduce legislation, to shape amendments, and to build support for the administration’s priorities.
  • Using the Budget Process: They suggest that appointees can use the budget process to influence policy outcomes, by proposing funding for programs that support the administration’s agenda and by cutting funding for programs that do not.
  • Negotiating and Compromising: They acknowledge that compromise is often necessary in the legislative process, but they encourage appointees to be strategic in their negotiations and to ensure that any compromises do not undermine the President’s core priorities.

Quote: “You need to be strategic in your approach to Congress. You need to know how to work the system and to use the tools at your disposal to advance the President’s agenda.”

3.6 Conclusion: “Building a Winning Team”

Fike and Braid conclude by emphasizing the importance of building a “winning team” that can effectively work with Congress to achieve the President’s goals. They encourage appointees to be prepared, to be strategic, and to be persistent in their efforts.

Quote: “Building strong relationships with Congress is essential for any successful administration. You need to be prepared, you need to be strategic, and you need to be persistent.”

4. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

The video does not focus on specific policy recommendations but rather on providing general guidance and advice to potential political appointees.

5. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

  • Maximize Executive Influence: Equip conservative appointees with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively influence Congress and to advance the President’s agenda, even in the face of opposition.
  • Control the Narrative: Shape the public’s perception of the administration’s policies and actions, ensuring that the administration’s message is heard and that opposing viewpoints are marginalized.
  • Build Coalitions and Cultivate Allies: Build strong relationships with key members of Congress and their staff, particularly those who are aligned with a conservative agenda, to create a network of support for the President’s priorities.
  • Minimize Congressional Oversight: Subtly discourage transparency and accountability to Congress, suggesting that oversight efforts are often politically motivated and burdensome.

6. HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Fike and Braid draw on their experience in the Trump administration, highlighting the challenges of working with a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and the need for strategic communication and relationship-building to advance a conservative agenda. They implicitly criticize the Obama administration, suggesting that it was too willing to compromise with Democrats and that it did not effectively use the tools of executive power to achieve its goals.

7. POTENTIAL IMPACTS

  • Increased Gridlock and Polarization: The emphasis on advancing a conservative agenda, even if it means circumventing or outmaneuvering Congress, could lead to increased gridlock and polarization in Washington, making it more difficult to address pressing national challenges.
  • Erosion of Congressional Authority: The video’s subtle message of minimizing the role of Congress and maximizing executive power could undermine the separation of powers and the legislative process, potentially leading to an imbalance of power in favor of the executive branch.
  • Reduced Transparency and Accountability: The emphasis on controlling information and framing the narrative could lead to a less transparent and less accountable government, as appointees prioritize spin over substance and seek to avoid scrutiny from Congress and the public.

8. CRITICISMS & COUNTERARGUMENTS

  • Undermining Democratic Processes: Critics might argue that the video’s recommendations undermine democratic processes and the role of Congress in representing the will of the people.
  • Prioritizing Partisanship over Public Interest: Opponents might argue that the emphasis on advancing a conservative agenda, even if it means circumventing Congress or manipulating information, prioritizes partisan goals over the broader public interest.
  • Erosion of Trust in Government: Critics might argue that the video’s cynical view of Congressional oversight and its encouragement of secrecy and spin could further erode public trust in government institutions.

9. KEY QUOTES

  • “Congressional relations are critical for any administration. You need to have a good working relationship with Congress if you want to get things done.” This quote highlights the importance of Congressional relations, but it also sets the stage for the video’s more strategic and less collaborative approach.
  • “It’s all about relationships. You need to build relationships with members of Congress and their staff if you want to be successful.” This quote emphasizes the importance of building relationships, but it also suggests that these relationships should be used to advance a partisan agenda.
  • “You need to control the narrative. You need to be the one telling your story, not your opponents.” This quote highlights the importance of controlling information and framing the narrative to influence Congress and the public.
  • “You need to be strategic in your approach to Congress. You need to know how to work the system and to use the tools at your disposal to advance the President’s agenda.” This quote encourages appointees to be strategic and to use all available tools to achieve their goals.
  • “Building strong relationships with Congress is essential for any successful administration. You need to be prepared, you need to be strategic, and you need to be persistent.” This quote emphasizes the importance of preparation, strategy, and persistence in dealing with Congress.

10. RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

Fike and Braid’s presentation is a blend of practical advice and ideological framing. They use a conversational tone and share anecdotes from their experience in the Trump administration to make the information relatable and engaging. However, they also subtly promote a more adversarial and less collaborative approach to Congressional relations, emphasizing the need to control the narrative, to use legislative tactics strategically, and to be wary of oversight efforts.

11. SUMMARY & SIGNIFICANCE

The “Congressional Relations: How to work with Members” video provides practical guidance for conservative political appointees on how to navigate the complexities of working with Congress. However, it also reveals a more cynical and strategic approach to Congressional relations, emphasizing the need to control information, to frame the narrative, and to use legislative tactics to advance a conservative agenda, even if it means circumventing or outmaneuvering Congress.

This video reflects Project 2025’s broader goal of maximizing executive power and minimizing the role of Congress in the policymaking process. It suggests that a future conservative administration would be less interested in collaboration and compromise and more focused on using its power to implement its agenda, potentially leading to increased gridlock, polarization, and a weakening of democratic norms.