Who is Kush Desai? Indian-American appointed deputy press secretary under Trump administration

In a significant appointment, US President Donald Trump has named Indian-American Kush Desai as the new deputy press secretary on Friday, adding another key player to his communications team at the White House.

A rising star in political communications
Kush Desai has steadily built a reputation as a skilled political communicator. His most recent roles include serving as deputy communications director for the 2024 Republican National Convention and Communications Director for the Republican Party of Iowa. Both roles allowed him to craft messaging strategies that resonated with voters in critical regions.

At the Republican National Committee (RNC), Desai worked as Deputy Battleground States and Pennsylvania Communications Director. He focused on creating strategies for key battleground states, especially Pennsylvania, where his efforts contributed to Trump’s wins in all seven battleground states.

Career and education
Before venturing into the world of politics, Desai briefly worked as a journalist at The Daily Caller in Washington, DC. He also served as a Research Analyst at the Republican National Committee.

According to Desai's LinkedIn profile, he is a graduate of Dartmouth College, an Ivy League institution in New Hampshire, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. During his time at Dartmouth, he was awarded the prestigious James O. Freedman Presidential Research Scholarship, which provided him with the opportunity to collaborate with faculty on research projects.

Working under Taylor Budowich
In his new role, Desai will report to Taylor Budowich, the deputy White House chief of staff and cabinet secretary who oversees the White House Office of Communications. Budowich leads a team responsible for shaping the administration’s messaging, making Desai’s role critical in communicating the President’s agenda.

Desai’s appointment comes alongside other notable hires by President Trump, including Steven Cheung as White House Communications Director and Karoline Leavitt as press secretary.