Latest news with #RockbridgeNetwork
Korea Herald
26-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Shinsegae chief to head Asia unit of Trump-linked network: sources
Chung Yong-jin, chair of South Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group, is likely to lead the Asia division of the Rockbridge Network, a donor-backed political coalition closely aligned with US President Donald Trump. According to industry sources on Thursday, Rockbridge, co-founded in 2019 by US Vice President JD Vance and conservative publisher Christopher Buskirk, plans to establish its Asia headquarters in Korea, with additional branches in Taiwan and Japan. Chung will serve as head of Rockbridge Asia, overseeing regional operations from Seoul. Richard Tsai, chairman of Taiwan's Fubon Financial Holdings, will lead the Taiwan division, while Tadashi Maeda, head of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, will chair the Japan branch. Since its founding, Rockbridge has become a powerful behind-the-scenes force in Trump-aligned politics. Its membership includes senior figures from the Trump administration, such as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as well as deep-pocketed tech donors like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The personal relationship between Chung and Trump Jr., longtime associates who appeared together earlier this year at President Trump's inauguration, is widely seen as a driving factor behind Chung's role in Rockbridge's overseas expansion. While Chung's potential role signals a deeper alignment with Trump-affiliated political and corporate figures, it also coincides with a pivotal moment as Korea transitions to the new administration of President Lee Jae Myung, who took office earlier this month and looks to engage more deeply with the US. The organization is expected to serve as a proxy diplomatic channel to Washington on key issues such as trade and defense, given its central base in Korea, adjacent to key US allies and China amid rising tensions. Chung, however, has yet to formally accept the position, though sources say discussions are in the final stages. 'While nothing is finalized, he is seriously considering the offer,' one source said.
Korea Herald
26-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Shinsegae chief poised to head Trump-linked network in Asia: sources
Chung Yong-jin, chair of South Korean retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group, is likely to lead the Asia division of the Rockbridge Network, a donor-backed political coalition closely aligned with US President Donald Trump. According to industry sources on Thursday, Rockbridge, co-founded in 2019 by US Vice President JD Vance and conservative publisher Christopher Buskirk, plans to establish its Asia headquarters in Korea, with additional branches in Taiwan and Japan. Chung will serve as head of Rockbridge Asia, overseeing regional operations from Seoul. Richard Tsai, chairman of Taiwan's Fubon Financial Holdings, will lead the Taiwan division, while Tadashi Maeda, head of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, will chair the Japan branch. Since its founding, Rockbridge has become a powerful behind-the-scenes force in Trump-aligned politics. Its membership includes senior figures from the Trump administration, such as White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as well as deep-pocketed tech donors like PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The personal relationship between Chung and Trump Jr., longtime associates who appeared together earlier this year at President Trump's inauguration, is widely seen as a driving factor behind Chung's role in Rockbridge's overseas expansion. While Chung's potential role signals a deeper alignment with Trump-affiliated political and corporate figures, it also coincides with a pivotal moment as Korea transitions to the new administration of President Lee Jae Myung, who took office earlier this month and looks to engage more deeply with the US. The organization is expected to serve as a proxy diplomatic channel to Washington on key issues such as trade and defense, given its central base in Korea, adjacent to key US allies and China amid rising tensions. Chung, however, has yet to formally accept the position, though sources say discussions are in the final stages. 'While nothing is finalized, he is seriously considering the offer,' one source said.
New York Times
25-03-2025
- Business
- New York Times
RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Other Trump Officials Are Set to Brief GOP Donors
Several top Trump administration officials are set to give briefings next month to an influential group of conservative donors allied with Vice President JD Vance. The group of donors, the Rockbridge Network, which has gained prominence in conservative circles, is hosting the officials at its next retreat in Florida from April 13 to April 15, according to two people briefed on the gathering, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the private event. The network, which has a minimum annual membership fee of $100,000 that is funneled to pro-Trump advocacy groups, was co-founded by Mr. Vance in 2019. The administration officials set to speak at the Rockbridge spring gathering include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence; and Steve Witkoff, the diplomatic envoy for President Trump, the people said. The actor and conservative activist Russell Brand is also expected to speak. Rockbridge declined to comment. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The extensive delegation to the April gathering reflects Rockbridge's heightened standing in the Republican donor universe. Mr. Trump has had tense relationships over the years with more established Republican donor groups, including the Koch network and some members of the American Opportunity Alliance, which met this month. Rockbridge is more explicitly shaped in Mr. Trump's image. The network, run by a close friend of Mr. Vance's named Chris Buskirk, has made inroads in Mr. Trump's circle. The president himself has appeared at two of the group's events, including one in spring 2023. A few days after Mr. Trump's victory in November, his campaign's senior brass spent several days in Las Vegas briefing the group's donors, and Mr. Kennedy spoke to them. Past supporters of the network have included Republican megadonors like Peter Thiel and Rebekah Mercer, and Rockbridge entities have raised over $100 million for their projects, The New York Times has previously reported. Mr. Vance attended most of Rockbridge's gatherings when he was a private citizen and a senator, but it is not clear if he will continue to do so now that he is vice president. A Rockbridge fund-raising official who worked for Mr. Vance's Senate campaign, Hannah Huemme, last month rejoined Mr. Vance's staff as his director of external affairs. Mr. Trump is having no trouble raising money these days. He has primarily been raising cash for a super PAC, MAGA Inc., that has hosted several dinners where tickets are available only for $1 million a head. The super PAC is set to host another of those $1 million dinners, which are expected to happen every few weeks, featuring Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago in early April, according to a copy of the invitation. Maggie Haberman contributed reporting.
