Former DeSantis campaign staffer receives second chance at State Department

Nate Hochman, a speechwriter fired from Ron DeSantis's 2023 campaign after promoting a video with white supremacist imagery, has been appointed deputy director of the State Department's policy planning office and chief speechwriter for Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Following his dismissal, Hochman worked for the advocacy group America 2100 and on Capitol Hill. His hiring highlights a trend in the Trump administration where past controversies do not disqualify individuals from top federal roles.

Hochman State Department appointment

• ▪Nate Hochman serves as the chief speechwriter for Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to Nate Hochman's State Department email signature.
• ▪Nate Hochman was appointed as the deputy director of the State Department's policy planning office under Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• ▪State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated that Nate Hochman is a trusted and key member of the department working to advance the president's foreign policy agenda.

DeSantis campaign firing controversy

• ▪The promotional video that led to Nate Hochman's 2023 firing from the Ron DeSantis campaign flashed an image embraced by white supremacists.
• ▪In 2023, Nate Hochman was fired from the presidential campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis following public outcry over a promotional video.

Career rehabilitation pathway

• ▪Nate Hochman's appointment is part of a trend in the Trump administration where public controversy and high-profile dismissals do not disqualify individuals from top-ranking positions.
• ▪Following his 2023 firing, Nate Hochman produced videos for America 2100, a right-wing advocacy group with ties to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
• ▪Following his 2023 firing, Nate Hochman worked for a Republican senator on Capitol Hill before joining the State Department.

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