Who Is Katie Bailey, Trump's New Pick to Run Congressional Outreach?

President Donald Trump on Saturday named Katie Bailey to lead the White House Office of Legislative Affairs, putting her in charge of the administration's relationship with Congress, NBC News reported. Bailey currently serves as the office's deputy director.

She succeeds James Braid, whose departure Trump announced in late August. The appointment comes a day after Trump named Katie Zacharia as his new White House press secretary.

Who is Katie Bailey?

According to Trump, Bailey is now his deputy director of legislative affairs and works with the Senate. He said she helped with the confirmations of Cabinet members, including Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton.

NBC News reported that Bailey's LinkedIn profile lists her as a special assistant to the president from September 2025 to June 2026. The profile also shows several legislative jobs on Capitol Hill. The most recent was legislative director for Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind.

What did Trump say about the choice?

Trump announced the appointment on Truth Social. He wrote that Bailey's earlier work on Capitol Hill gives her an understanding of how the executive and legislative branches can work together effectively. He said that cooperation would benefit the American people.

What does the Office of Legislative Affairs do?

The office acts as the liaison between the White House and Congress. NBC News described Braid's work there as helping steer Trump's legislative priorities through the House and Senate. In practice, the director is the administration's point person with lawmakers on its agenda.

Who was James Braid, and why is he leaving?

Trump called Braid his "longest tenured" legislative affairs director and said he had done a "fabulous job." According to Trump, Braid is now going into the private sector. Trump announced the exit in late August and said Braid would leave in September.

In a post on X at the time, Braid said he was grateful to Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Braid had been Vance's top policy aide and deputy chief of staff when Vance was a senator. Vance called the role "one of the toughest jobs in the entire Administration."

Why it matters: what the change means for the White House and Congress

The person in this job shapes how the White House pursues its priorities with lawmakers, from legislation to Cabinet confirmations. By promoting Bailey from within, Trump is putting someone already working with senators in charge of that effort.

NBC News noted that the work could become harder if Republicans fail to keep their majority in both chambers after the midterm elections. The article did not describe any specific legislative plans tied to the new leadership.

The appointment is also one of several staffing changes in the White House in recent days. Trump named a new press secretary a day earlier, and the legislative affairs office now has a new leader after Braid's September departure.

What is not yet known?

The White House has not disclosed, in the reporting available, who will take over Bailey's former deputy role. It also has not said when she formally begins as director or what her first priorities will be.

Source: NBC News