Brooke Rollins

American lawyer (born 1972)

Brooke Rollins
Director of the Domestic Policy Council
Acting
In office
May 24, 2020 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byJoe Grogan
Succeeded bySusan Rice
Personal details
Born (1972-04-10) April 10, 1972 (age 52)
Glen Rose, Texas, U.S.
EducationTexas A&M University (BS)
University of Texas at Austin (JD)

Brooke Leslie Rollins (born April 10, 1972)[1] is an American attorney who is the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. She previously served as the acting director of the United States Domestic Policy Council under President Donald Trump. Prior to assuming that role, Rollins oversaw the White House Office of American Innovation. Rollins was president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based free-market think tank, from 2003 through 2018.[2] During her tenure at TPPF, the think tank grew from having a staff of 3 to a staff of 100.[3]

Rollins previously served as deputy general counsel, ethics advisor, and policy director to Texas Governor Rick Perry.[4] She is an advocate of criminal justice reform.[5]

Early life and education

Rollins was raised in Glen Rose, Texas and attended Texas A&M University, where she graduated cum laude with a B.S. in agricultural development in 1994. She was named the top graduate of her class based on a combination criteria of academics, leadership, and service.[4] While at Texas A&M, Rollins was the first female to be elected student body president. She also served as the speaker pro tempore of the Student Senate, the chair of the Texas A&M Judicial Court, as a Fish Camp counselor, and was Cotton Bowl Classic Queen.[4] In 2007, Rollins became the first female speaker at the College Station Aggie Muster, which honors deceased Texas A&M former students.[4]

Rollins earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law, graduating with honors.[6]

Career

After graduating from law school, Rollins worked for several years at Hughes & Luce, LLP in Dallas and clerked under U.S. Federal District Court judge Barbara M. Lynn.

In 2011, Texas Monthly named Rollins one of the 25 most powerful Texans.[7]

Trump administration

Office of American Innovation

In February 2018, Rollins replaced Reed Cordish as Trump's assistant to the president for intergovernmental and technology initiatives and as a member of the Office of American Innovation.[8]

Rollins was influential in encouraging the passage of the First Step Act, legislation that reforms the nation's prison system and seeks to reduce recidivism. The First Step Act was signed into law by President Trump in December 2018.[9]

Domestic Policy Council

In May 2020, President Trump named Rollins acting director of the United States Domestic Policy Council.[10][11][12]

In her first public interview as acting director of the Domestic Policy Council, Rollins said she was focused on bringing "together all sides of the table to figure out how we can move forward together."[13] She said the U.S. "is a nation in mourning for the senseless death of George Floyd and the senseless loss of livelihood all over this country." Rollins struck an optimistic tone on the country's future, saying "this is America and we have been through difficult times before. We are a nation of doers and believers and dreamers, and we are a nation where if anybody tells us to step back, we step three feet forward."[13]

Amid nationwide protests and racial unrest, Rollins said "we need everyone to rise above the division and the divide and come together." She said the White House was "working through a list of solutions and possibilities, bipartisan. How do we come together? How do we use this as a unifying force for this country?"[14]

Rollins, along with Mark Meadows and U.S. Senator Tim Scott, developed the Safe Policing for Safe Communities executive order signed by President Trump in June 2020. The order incentivizes police reforms and encourages law enforcement to meet higher standards for the use of force and de-escalation training. The order bans chokeholds except when an officer's life is at risk. The order also creates a national database on excessive force complaints against police officers and encourages the involvement of mental health professionals when responding to nonviolent cases.[15]

At an event announcing the signing of the new order, President Trump said his goal was to maintain law and order as well as justice and safety. He said "Reducing crime and raising standards are not opposite goals. They are not mutually exclusive. They work together." According to Politico, the order was crafted "in consultation with police officers, mayors, conservative African Americans, faith-based leaders and the families of victims."[15]

Post-Trump administration

After Donald Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Rollins and Larry Kudlow began forming a new nonprofit organization focused on continuing to promote Trump's public policies.[16] Rollins is the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, founded in 2021 to promote Trump's public policy agenda.[17]

Rollins is a leader of the Save America Coalition, launched in 2021 to oppose Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion economic proposal.[18]

References

  1. ^ Glen Rose native taking advisor post in White House
  2. ^ Svitek, Patrick (February 16, 2018). "Texas Public Policy Foundation head Brooke Rollins to join White House". Teas Tribune. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  3. ^ Drusch, Andrea (February 16, 2018). "Fort Worth's Rollins joins Kushner-run White House post". Star-Telegram. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d Lim, Cherie; Lankes, Chelsea (April 20, 2007), "Aggies to gather for Muster, first woman SBP to speak", The Battalion, College Station, Texas, archived from the original on October 10, 2007, retrieved October 31, 2007
  5. ^ Kirell, Andrew. "White House Hires Prison-Reform Activist as a Trump Assistant". Daily Beast. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  6. ^ Svitek, Patrick (February 27, 2018). "Glen Rose native taking advisor post in White House". Glen Rose Reporter. Texas Tribune. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  7. ^ Smith, Evan (January 18, 2011). "Texas Monthly's 25 Most Powerful Texans". Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  8. ^ O'Connell, Jonathan (February 16, 2018). "Trump tech adviser Reed Cordish is leaving the White House". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  9. ^ Drusch, Andrea (December 18, 2018). "White House green-lights Texas think tank's ideas, irking Capitol Hill Republicans". Star Telegram. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  10. ^ Haberman, Maggie (May 14, 2020). "Trump to Name Brooke Rollins as Domestic Policy Adviser". New York Times. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  11. ^ Samuels, Brett (May 20, 2020). "Trump taps Brooke Rollins as acting domestic policy chief". The Hill. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  12. ^ "How chatter and conservative anger upended a White House staffing search". POLITICO. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Halon, Yael (June 7, 2020). "White House's Brooke Rollins commits to 'renewing,' 'restoring' policing amid George Floyd unrest". Fox News. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  14. ^ Forgey, Quint (June 1, 2020). "Trump's domestic policy chief says White House 'working through' proposals to unify country". Politico. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  15. ^ a b Cook, Nancy (June 15, 2020). "Trump's answer to nationwide protests: Police-friendly reforms". Politico. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  16. ^ Isenstadt, Alex (December 22, 2020). "Senior Trump advisers prepare to launch policy group". Politico. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  17. ^ Montgomery, David (October 10, 2022). "Analysis | What Will Happen to America if Trump Wins Again? Experts Helped Us Game It Out". Washington Post. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  18. ^ Stein, Jeff (September 16, 2021). "Former Trump aides to spearhead multimillion-dollar campaign against Biden economic plan". Washington Post. Retrieved October 11, 2021.

External links

  • Brooke Rollins at Ballotpedia
  • Appearances on C-SPAN
Political offices
Preceded by Director of the Domestic Policy Council
Acting
2020–2021 		Succeeded by
  • v
  • t
  • e
Office Name Term Office Name Term
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus 2017 National Security Advisor Michael Flynn 2017
John F. Kelly 2017–19 H. R. McMaster 2017–18
Mick Mulvaney 2019–20 John Bolton 2018–19
Mark Meadows 2020–21 Robert C. O'Brien 2019–21
Principal Deputy Chief of Staff Katie Walsh 2017 Deputy National Security Advisor K. T. McFarland 2017
Kirstjen Nielsen 2017 Ricky L. Waddell 2017–18
James W. Carroll 2017–18 Mira Ricardel 2018
Zachary Fuentes 2018–19 Charles Kupperman 2019
Emma Doyle 2019–20 Matthew Pottinger 2019–21
Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Rick Dearborn 2017–18 Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert 2017–18
Chris Liddell 2018–21 Doug Fears 2018–19
Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Joe Hagin 2017–18 Peter J. Brown 2019–20
Daniel Walsh 2018–19 Julia Nesheiwat 2020–21
Anthony M. Ornato 2019–21 Dep. Natl. Security Advisor, Strategy Dina Powell 2017–18
Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Bill Shine 2018–19 Nadia Schadlow 2018
Dan Scavino 2020–21 Dep. Natl. Security Advisor, Middle East and North African Affairs Victoria Coates 2019–20
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway 2017–20 White House Communications Director Sean Spicer 2017
Steve Bannon 2017 Michael Dubke 2017
Johnny DeStefano 2018–19 Anthony Scaramucci 2017
Hope Hicks 2020–21 Hope Hicks 2017–18
Derek Lyons 2020–21 Bill Shine 2018–19
Senior Advisor, Strategic Planning Jared Kushner 2017–21 Stephanie Grisham 2019–20
Senior Advisor, Policy Stephen Miller 2017–21 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer 2017
Senior Advisor, Economic Issues Kevin Hassett 2020 Sarah Huckabee Sanders 2017–19
Advisor Ivanka Trump 2017–21 Stephanie Grisham 2019–20
Director, Public Liaison George Sifakis 2017 Kayleigh McEnany 2020–21
Johnny DeStefano 2017–18 Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders 2017
Justin R. Clark 2018 Raj Shah 2017–19
Steve Munisteri 2018–19 Hogan Gidley 2019–20
Timothy Pataki 2019–21 Brian R. Morgenstern 2020–21
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Justin R. Clark 2017–18 Director, Strategic Communications Hope Hicks 2017
Douglas Hoelscher 2019–21 Mercedes Schlapp 2017–19
Director, National Economic Council Gary Cohn 2017–18 Alyssa Farah 2020
Larry Kudlow 2018–21 Director, Social Media Dan Scavino 2017–19
Chair, Council of Economic Advisers Kevin Hassett 2017–19 Director, Legislative Affairs Marc Short 2017–18
Tomas J. Philipson 2019–20 Shahira Knight 2018–19
Tyler Goodspeed 2020–21 Eric Ueland 2019–20
Chair, Domestic Policy Council Andrew Bremberg 2017–19 Amy Swonger 2020–21
Joe Grogan 2019–20 Director, Political Affairs Bill Stepien 2017–18
Brooke Rollins 2020–21 Brian Jack 2019–21
Director, National Trade Council Peter Navarro 2017–21 Director, Presidential Personnel Johnny DeStefano 2017–18
White House Counsel Don McGahn 2017–18 Sean E. Doocey 2018–20
Emmet Flood 2018 John McEntee 2020–21
Pat Cipollone 2018–21 Director, Management & Administration Marcia L. Kelly 2017–18
White House Cabinet Secretary Bill McGinley 2017–19 Monica J. Block 2018–21
Matthew J. Flynn 2019 White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter 2017–18
Kristan King Nevins 2019–21 Derek Lyons 2018–21
Personal Aide to the President John McEntee 2017–18 Director, Science & Technology Policy Kelvin Droegemeier 2019–21
Jordan Karem 2018 Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios 2019–21
Nicholas Luna 2018–19 Director, Management & Budget Mick Mulvaney 2017–19
Director, Oval Office Operations Keith Schiller 2017 Russell Vought 2019–21
Jordan Karem 2017–19 Chief Information Officer Suzette Kent 2018–20
Madeleine Westerhout 2019 United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer 2017–21
Nicholas Luna 2019–21 Director, National Drug Control Policy James W. Carroll 2018–21
Chief of Staff to the First Lady Lindsay Reynolds 2017–20 Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Mary Neumayr 2018–21
Stephanie Grisham 2020–21 Chief of Staff to the Vice President Josh Pitcock 2017
White House Social Secretary Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd 2017–21 Nick Ayers 2017–19
White House Chief Usher Angella Reid† 2017 Marc Short 2019–21
Timothy Harleth 2017–21 Special Representative, International Negotiations Avi Berkowitz 2019–21
Physician to the President Ronny Jackson† 2017–18 COVID-19 Medical Advisors Deborah Birx 2020–21
Sean Conley 2018–21 Anthony Fauci 2020–21
Director, White House Military Office Keith Davids 2017–21 Scott Atlas 2020–21
† Remained from previous administration.