Meet Donald Trump’s ‘Prashant Kishor’, brains behind his campaign to defeat Kamala Harris and become US president

Donald Trump took to the stage to claim his historic victory over Democrat Kamala Harris. He expressed his “tremendous appreciation” for Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, the top Trump campaign advisers.

In a surprising victory, Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s candidate, has secured the U.S. presidential election on Wednesday, November 6. However, his path to success was far from easy. Much like the intense campaign effort that brought Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power in 2014, Trump had to work tirelessly to regain the presidency. Just as Prashant Kishor played a crucial role in designing Modi’s campaign, Trump also had a key strategist team on his side.

Led by “Florida guru” Susie Wiles and seasoned Republican operative Chris LaCivita, Trump’s campaign focused on creating a sense of control and unity within the Republican Party. This teamwork helped Trump stay on track, countering his tendency to follow his own path. Both Wiles and LaCivita succeeded in managing Trump’s campaign efforts effectively, with a long-time Trump confidant telling CNN, “Susie and Chris held it all together.”

Hours before the official announcement, Trump took to the stage to claim his historic victory over Democrat Kamala Harris. He expressed his “tremendous appreciation” for Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, the top Trump campaign advisers.

Susie Wiles: The Campaign’s Mastermind

Susie Wiles, a seasoned political strategist from Florida, was a key figure behind Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. Acting as Trump’s senior adviser and essentially running his campaign, Wiles brought the necessary discipline, organization, and strategic direction. Previously, she had played a major role in helping Governor Ron DeSantis win his 2018 election. However, after parting ways with DeSantis, she shifted her focus to Trump, leading his primary PAC, Save Americaand laying out a detailed plan for his return to the White House.

To strengthen the campaign, Wiles collaborated with Chris LaCivita, an experienced Republican strategist who took on the role of campaign manager. Together, they designed a plan to secure Trump’s lead in the Republican primaries and build a robust team to compete against Vice President Kamala Harris in the general election. Their approach involved rallying Trump’s base to boost voter turnout, targeting key battleground states, and focusing on crucial voter demographics to ensure success in the election.

Chris LaCivita: The Tactical Genius

Chris LaCivita is a prominent Republican strategist with a history of working on high-stakes political campaigns across Virginia and the U.S. In 2023, he joined Susie Wiles as co-campaign manager for Donald Trump’s third presidential bid. LaCivita is perhaps best known for his involvement in the 2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign, which attacked Democratic candidate John Kerry’s Vietnam War record and was widely viewed as a turning point in that election. His work on that campaign established him as a controversial yet effective figure in Republican political circles.

LaCivita also faced scrutiny after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. On the evening of January 6, he reportedly posted a comment on social media blaming Trump’s actions and rhetoric for the violence, though the post was deleted soon after. More recently, the Daily Beast reported that LaCivita received approximately USD 22 million from his work with Trump’s campaign, including payments from associated Super PACs.

Trump’s Historic Political Comeback

Donald Trump’s victory is being hailed as one of the greatest political comebacks in American history. Despite facing significant challenges, including 34 criminal charges related to business record tampering and an ongoing case involving hush-money payments to an adult film star, Trump successfully defeated his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in a closely contested race.

This marks Trump’s return to the White House after a four-year gap, following his defeat in the 2020 election. His previous loss had led to widespread controversy, including the infamous Capitol riots, where his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, sparking significant debate and backlash.