Topping the list of legislation is tax reform and tax cutting, including renewal of the tax cut plan he pushed through in 2017 during his first presidency.

And with a new and more conservative Congress set to take up the Trump plan, companies around the nation are being advised to play ball and help, but also to look out for themselves.

“If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. Now’s the time to make a plan to be prepared,” said former Capitol Hill staffer Jeff Grappone, the executive vice president at Washington’s ROKK Solutions public affairs firm.

Celebrating a great victory with my friend and former boss, Governor-elect ⁦@KellyAyotte⁩. #NHPolitics pic.twitter.com/6mhQ9fV673

— Jeff Grappone (@jeffgrappone) November 6, 2024

“The future of the Trump tax cuts will be next year’s major legislative battle. As tax writers hunt for pay-fors, companies need to make sure they’re not on the menu,” he told Secrets.

Sometimes, corporations, trade associations, towns, and even Native American tribes look at new administrations as a place to cash in.

But Grappone’s call for defense first is wise advice as the new administration moves with plans to look at targets in its bid to “drain the swamp.”

He told us, “Preparing for the 119th Congress, the most pressing priority for companies and associations will be to educate new lawmakers and executive branch appointees about their value proposition. It’s especially important to prepare materials that explain clearly and concisely companies’ American investments. That includes total investment, facilities, number of workers, academic partnerships, and programs to support key groups — such as veterans. It’s critical for companies to protect themselves by telling their story, through paid and earned media, on their own terms.”