Former Director of White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to lead America First 2025 Transition Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) today announced that Doug Hoelscher, former Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs under President Donald J. Trump, will chair AFPI’s American Leadership Initiative. This initiative is an effort to ensure the next conservative administration is ready to govern effectively on day one and advance an America First agenda on behalf of the American people.

“We are hopeful that a future administration focused on America First will enter office with a mandate to get our Nation back to the policies that work,” said Doug Hoelscher, Chair of the American Leadership Initiative at the America First Policy Institute. “This initiative will build a playbook for each agency and department from the leaders who actually did the work in the last administration. The next America First Administration will be ready from day one with the right policy, personnel, and process.”

Since its inception last summer, the American Leadership Initiative has formed more than 20 working groups led by former cabinet secretaries, deputy secretaries, and department leadership to encompass nearly 200 former senior agency leaders in total, who are mapping out the changes necessary to effectively and quickly implement the America First Agenda. Hoelscher is joined in this initiative by Michael Rigas, former Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management and Acting Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, and Troup Hemenway, former Associate Director of Presidential Personnel. This team will draw upon the real-life experience of AFPI leaders and others, including nine Cabinet-level officials and nearly 50 Senior White House and Administration officials.

“Conservatives have never been fully prepared to execute an agenda on behalf of the American people on Day One,” said Brooke Rollins, President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute and former Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. “The American Leadership Initiative at the America First Policy Institute is convening experienced leaders who worked inside these agencies and the White House to ensure the agenda of the next America First President is faithfully and successfully implemented on behalf of the American people.”

Before leading the American Leadership Initiative, Hoelscher served as Chief Operating Officer at AFPI. His background includes service in the George W. Bush Administration, the Iowa governor’s office, and the private sector.