The Trump administration has reportedly launched a “scorecard” to measure how deeply corporate America is aligning with its economic agenda. Axios revealed that the rankings track companies based on press releases, public statements, social media, ad campaigns, and even their attendance at White House events tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill.
The goal, according to a senior White House official, is to separate true allies from opportunists. “Who really goes out and helps vs. those who just come in and pay lip service,” the official explained. It’s a stark message: words aren’t enough, action counts.
Companies placed in the “strong support” category include Uber, DoorDash, United Airlines, Delta, AT&T, Cisco, Airlines for America, and the Steel Manufacturers Association. These firms have gone out of their way to highlight provisions like the “No Tax On Tips” policy and research-and-development tax incentives, both central to Trump’s economic package. Uber openly praised the bill, saying it ensures drivers “keep 100% of the tips they earn” at a time of rising costs.
The scorecard is designed to be fluid — meaning corporations can rise or fall depending on how active they are in pushing administration priorities. “If groups/companies want to start advocating more now for the tax bill or additional administration priorities, we will take that into account in our grading,” the official told Axios. In other words, neutrality won’t cut it.
This kind of grading system underscores how tightly Trump’s White House is binding policy to corporate behavior. The message is clear: supporting the president’s legislative victories could bring influence and access, while lukewarm or quiet engagement might mean being sidelined.
It isn’t the first time Trump has merged policy with business decisions. In July, the administration allowed Nvidia to ship its advanced H20 chips to China after CEO Jensen Huang lobbied for restrictions to be eased. As part of the agreement, the federal government reportedly secured a 15% share of profits from those sales — a deal critics called a dangerous incentive to trade vital tech with an adversary.
The administration is also in talks with Intel about possible government investment, marking another moment where corporate ties and government power are crossing in unusual ways. Trump even reversed his stance on Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan, praising him as having “an amazing story” just days after calling for his resignation over alleged conflicts.
Meanwhile, Trump has flexed government leverage over larger industries. In June, his team approved the sale of U.S. Steel to a Japanese firm, but retained veto authority over certain corporate decisions. A month later, the Department of Defense became the single largest shareholder of MP Materials, a rare earth mining company critical for national security.
These moves point to a broader trend: a president not afraid to wield government authority in ways that redefine how corporations interact with Washington. For some executives, the scorecard may feel like a loyalty test. For Trump, it’s a way of ensuring that his signature policies — particularly those under the One Big Beautiful Bill — aren’t just written into law, but celebrated and advanced in boardrooms across America.
The looming question is how companies will respond. Will more CEOs rush to highlight their enthusiasm for Trump’s policies, or will some risk being branded as disinterested, and therefore expendable, in the new economic order?
One thing is certain: the Trump White House is making it clear that in this second term, the line between politics and business isn’t just blurred — it’s being redrawn entirely.