Ruto Hires Donald Trump’s Associate to Win Back Washington’s Trust

Kenya contracts influential Republican lobbying firm to repair strained US relations as Chinese partnerships spark Washington concerns

President William Ruto’s administration has quietly enlisted one of Washington’s most politically connected lobbying firms in a high-stakes diplomatic gambit to repair Kenya’s deteriorating relationship with the Trump White House, following criticism over the East African nation’s deepening ties with China.

Kenya has contracted American lobbying firm Continental Strategy PLLC to engage US policy makers, with documents showing that Continental Strategy CEO Carlos Trujillo filed the contract with the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) on August 6, 2025.

The timing is critical. Kenya’s relationship with Washington has soured after President Ruto described Kenya and China as “co-architects of a new world order” during his state visit to Beijing in April 2025, prompting sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who question Kenya’s commitment to its Western allies.

Continental Strategy, which has close ties to the Trump administration, has signed a one-year $2.1M pact to represent Kenya. Kenya will pay KSh22.7 million monthly, excluding travel and hospitality expenses, to the Washington-based company owned by Carlos Trujillo, a close ally of Donald Trump.

The choice of Continental Strategy is no accident. According to Senate Lobbying Disclosure Data, Continental Strategy reported $6.5 million in lobbying revenues in the first quarter of 2025, making it the 15th biggest firm by lobbying revenue. The firm’s meteoric rise stems directly from its leadership’s intimate connections to Trump’s inner circle.

Trujillo, a former Florida State Representative and Trump’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States, was a key adviser during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, particularly in courting Latino voters. When Trump returned to power, Republican heavyweights including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles lobbied for Trujillo to join the administration—but he chose to remain at Continental Strategy, positioning himself as a bridge between foreign clients and the Trump White House.

The firm’s Republican pedigree runs deep. Managing partner Alberto Martinez served as chief of staff to Secretary Rubio when he was a senator, while partner Alex Garcia was deputy political director for battleground states in Trump’s 2024 campaign. Even more telling, Katie Wiles, daughter of Trump’s powerful chief of staff Susie Wiles, is also a partner at the firm.

Kenya’s lobbying contract comes as the country faces mounting pressure from Washington on multiple fronts. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch has publicly questioned Kenya’s commitment to the US alliance, stating that “Kenya’s ties with China are troubling” and warning that “widened diplomacy with America’s greatest competitor is not an alliance – it’s a risk for the US to assess.”

The concerns extend beyond diplomatic rhetoric. As of June 2025, Kenya owed China $5.4 billion (Sh700.9 billion), making China Kenya’s largest individual lender. In January 2025, Kenya paid KSh53.7 billion to Chinese companies out of a total import bill of KSh229.6 billion – that’s 23.4%, meaning one in every five shillings Kenya spends on imports goes to China.

Continental Strategy’s mission will be multifaceted and challenging. The firm must navigate Kenya’s precarious position as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expires next month, potentially devastating Kenya’s $500 million textile industry and eliminating tens of thousands of jobs. Tariffs would wipe out tens of thousands of jobs in export zones, along with support sectors like cotton farming and logistics.

The lobbying firm also faces the delicate task of defending the Ruto administration against mounting human rights allegations, including claims of extrajudicial killings, abductions, torture, and repression of Gen Z protesters—issues already under Congressional investigation.

Kenya’s predicament reflects the broader challenge facing African nations caught between competing global powers. Under the Biden administration, Kenya enjoyed privileged status as Washington’s favored African partner, even achieving designation as a Major Non-NATO Ally. However, Ruto’s administration has struggled to maintain this goodwill while pursuing economic partnerships with China, which remain vital to Kenya’s development needs.

The hiring of Continental Strategy represents a calculated bet that Trump-connected Republicans can help Kenya thread this diplomatic needle. The firm’s experience in the Caribbean—where Kenya has deployed police as part of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti—could prove valuable in securing continued US funding for the peacekeeping operation.

At an estimated annual cost of $2.1 million, Kenya’s investment in Continental Strategy mirrors similar moves by other nations seeking to influence Trump’s foreign policy. Thailand’s DC embassy has signed Continental Strategy to a three-month contract for government advocacy services, indicating the firm’s growing appeal among US allies seeking Republican-friendly representation.

However, the strategy carries significant risks. Washington-based consultant Johanna Leblanc warns that “America First is relentless and uncompromising—even close US allies like Canada are struggling. Unless President Ruto is willing to alter his relationship with China, Iran and other US adversaries, no policy change will come on the US side.”

Kenya’s situation is further complicated by the broader geopolitical context. The Trump administration has already taken punitive action against South Africa, removing it from the SWIFT international financial system over its BRICS alignment and legal action against Israel, demonstrating the potential costs of defying Washington’s expectations.

As Continental Strategy begins its lobbying campaign, Kenya faces a fundamental choice between economic pragmatism and geopolitical alignment. The success of this expensive diplomatic gamble will ultimately depend not just on the lobbying firm’s political connections, but on President Ruto’s willingness to recalibrate Kenya’s foreign policy priorities.

For now, Kenya appears determined to maintain its balancing act, hoping that Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy can be navigated through well-connected intermediaries. Whether this strategy can preserve Kenya’s economic interests while satisfying Washington’s strategic demands remains to be seen.

The coming months will test whether Carlos Trujillo’s Republican credentials and Continental Strategy’s K Street influence can indeed help Kenya win back Washington’s trust—or whether the fundamental tensions between Kenya’s economic needs and America’s strategic expectations prove insurmountable.