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America First Works
| America First Works | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Type: | 501(c)(4) |
| Top official: | Ashley Hayek, President |
| Year founded: | 2021 |
| Website: | Official website |
America First Works is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that was founded in 2021 to serve as the advocacy arm of the America First Policy Institute.[1]
Background
America First Works was founded as America First Policies by six former Trump and Pence campaign aides in January 2017 to support the policy agenda of the Trump administration. Brad Parscale, the Trump campaign's digital director, was one of the original founders of America First Policies. He described the organization's founding to NPR in January 2017, saying, "Some of the same like-minded individuals who put their energy into getting Mr. Trump elected are now going to be part of a grass-roots group to go out there and help with the agenda, help the White House to be successful."[2]
In 2021, America First Policies was renamed America First Works.[3][4] The group became affiliated with America First Policy Initiative (AFPI).[5] In a press release, AFPI said America First Works "seeks to transfer power back to the American people and away from government elites by engaging in grassroots advocacy to affect change at the federal, state, and local level."[6]
Leadership
As of August 2025, Ashley Hayek was president of America First Works.[7]
The following individuals were listed as board members of America First Works as of August 2025:[7]
- Tim Dunn, chairman
- Josh Treviño
- Greg Sindelar
- Brooke Rollins, board member emeritus
- Linda McMahon, board member emeritus
- Lee Zeldin, board member emeritus
Work and activities
Political activity
Work in 2023-2024 election cycle
In 2023, America First Works announced they would release scores for the candidates for United States Speaker of the House.[8]
In 2024, America First Works launched Project 19, which was a voter mobilization effort in support of Trump in key swing states.[9] The group said it reached over 5.7 million Americans via door knocking and sent 23 million text messages.[9] The group partnered with other organizations on the project.[10]
Work in 2021-22 election cycle
Shortly after it was launched in 2021, America First Works released an ad criticizing President Joe Biden's policies.[6] In 2022 they launched the Protect the Vote Pledge "for elected officials to sign to ensure their state has election laws that allow for free and fair elections."[11]
Advertisements for Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows
On March 19, 2019, America First Policies announced a $100,000 ad buy in support of representatives Jim Jordan (R) and Mark Meadows (R).[12]
Neil Gorsuch confirmation advertisements
In March 2017, America First Policies ran advertisements calling for the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch, Trump's nominee to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court.[13][14]
Support for House Republicans concerning healthcare
In April 2017, America First Policies launched a $3 million advertising campaign in support of 12 House members who publicly backed the American Health Care Act of 2017, the White House-backed plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. The group's leaders told The Washington Post that the ads aimed to "show House Republicans that there are benefits to standing with Trump on tricky issues, in particular on health care." The ads supported the following members:[15]
- Gary Palmer (Ala.)
- Jeff Duncan (S.C.)
- David Schweikert (Ariz.)
- Keith Rothfus (Pa.)
- Rob Wittman (Va.)
- Tom Graves (Ga.)
- Scott R. Tipton (Colo.)
- Thomas Garrett (Va.)
- David Joyce (Ohio)
- Michael R. Turner (Ohio)
- Martha McSally (Ariz.)
- Brian Mast (Fla.)
Foreign policy advertisements
In June 2017, America First Policies began a $400,000 campaign to run an advertisement called "Safe Again." According to Axios, the ad aimed to promote "the President's work in the Middle East and Europe — with a focus on fighting terrorism." Senior advisor Katie Walsh explained the ads to the site, saying, "This is about collecting information and mobilization. ... We strongly believe that for us to get the President's policy agenda passed we need to harness millions of voices."[16]
Anti-Dean Heller ads
On June 23, 2017, after Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) announced he did not support the Republican Senate replacement for the Affordable Care Act, America First Policies launched a $1 million ad campaign against Heller, saying, "Unacceptable. ... If you’re opposed to this bill, we’re opposed to you." According to Politico, the group began its campaign against Heller 90 minutes after Heller announced his opposition to the bill, with digital director Brad Parscale starting a Twitter campaign directed at Heller. [17][18]
The group pulled the ads on June 27, 2017, after Senate Republicans delayed a vote on the bill. According to Politico, the organization said that the decision to pull advertising was based on Heller's decision to appear at the White House with Republican senators, which they said meant he was open to negotiations concerning the bill.[19]
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.
Finances
Below are the finances for America First Works in 2022 and 2021 according to filings with the Internal Revenue Service.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'America First Policies'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ America First Works , "America First Works Commends Treasurer Moore for Recognizing BlackRock Inc. and JP Morgan Chase & Co. as Energy Discriminators," June 21, 2022
- ↑ NPR, "Trump Political Advisers Now Raising Money For His 'America First' Agenda," January 31, 2017
- ↑ Virginia Corporation Commission , "Articles of Amendment Changing the Name of a Virginia Nonstock Corporation," October 4, 2021
- ↑ Politico , "Trump Loves Her. His Allies Don’t Trust Her.," October 25, 2024
- ↑ CNBC , "Trump-allied dark money group joins forces with a think tank run by ex-president’s former aides," November 22, 2021
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 America First Works , "AFPI Launches New Political Arm: America First Works," November 5, 2021
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 America First Works , "Leadership," accessed August 22, 2025
- ↑ America First Works , "AFW Will Score the House Speaker Race," October 18, 2023
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Fox News , "America First Works: A movement too big to ignore," November 7, 2024
- ↑ Guardian , "Trump has scant ground game operation in swing states, GOP worries," September 9, 2024
- ↑ America First Works , "America First Works Launches Legislators Pledge to Protect Our Elections," May 19, 2022
- ↑ CNN, "Pro-Trump group launching ads supporting Meadows, Jordan," accessed March 21, 2019
- ↑ The Associated Press, "Trump allies say they're active but were MIA on health care," March 30, 2017
- ↑ America First Policies, "America First Policies released a new video entitled 'Confirm Gorsuch,'" April 3, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Pro-Trump group launches a $3 million ad campaign to prop up House allies," April 16, 2017
- ↑ Axios, "Axios Sneak Peek," June 4, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Trump political arm to GOP: Get in line," June 25, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Pro-Trump group launches TV, radio ads against Heller over health bill," June 27, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Pro-Trump group pulls ads criticizing Heller over Obamacare," June 27, 2017
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Internal Revenue Service , "America First Works 2022 990 Form," accessed August 22, 2025
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