Strategic and Policy Forum
The President's Strategic and Policy Forum was a voluntary advisory council established by U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump on December 2, 2016, consisting of prominent chief executives from major corporations to provide recommendations on economic policies aimed at enhancing productivity, job creation, and overall growth.[1] Chaired by Stephen A. Schwarzman, chief executive of The Blackstone Group, the forum drew members including Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase and Robert Iger of The Walt Disney Company, selected for their expertise in business operations and market dynamics.[2][3] The group convened several sessions in early 2017 at the White House, focusing on priority areas such as regulatory reform, trade agreements, infrastructure investment, energy policy, and workforce training to address perceived barriers to American competitiveness.[4][5] These discussions informed executive actions on deregulation and tax policy, though the forum lacked formal policymaking authority and operated as a sounding board for private-sector perspectives.[6] The forum's tenure ended abruptly on August 16, 2017, after a majority of members voted to disband in response to President Trump's public statements attributing responsibility for violence at the Charlottesville rally to participants on both sides, leading to high-profile resignations and Trump's subsequent dissolution of the group.[7][8][9] This episode highlighted tensions between corporate leadership and the administration's approach to domestic political divisions, marking the forum as a short-lived experiment in blending business input with governmental strategy.[10]Formation and Purpose
Announcement and Establishment
On December 2, 2016, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced the establishment of the President's Strategic and Policy Forum during a press release in New York, New York.[1] The forum was designed to convene prominent business leaders to offer direct input to the incoming administration on national challenges, with an emphasis on leveraging their expertise in driving economic expansion.[1] Trump stated that the group would "bring together some of America's most highly respected and successful business leaders to meet frequently with the President on a range of issues facing our country," highlighting their role in advising on job creation and productivity enhancement.[1] Stephen A. Schwarzman, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of The Blackstone Group, was appointed as the forum's chairman.[1] The initial roster comprised 16 members, selected for their leadership in finance, manufacturing, technology, and energy sectors:- Stephen A. Schwarzman (Chairman), The Blackstone Group
- Paul Atkins, Patomak Global Partners LLC
- Mary Barra, General Motors Company
- Toby Cosgrove, Cleveland Clinic
- Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
- Larry Fink, BlackRock
- Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company
- Rich Lesser, Boston Consulting Group
- Doug McMillon, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
- Jim McNerney, The Boeing Company
- Adebayo "Bayo" Ogunlesi, Global Infrastructure Partners
- Ginni Rometty, IBM Corporation
- Kevin Warsh, former Federal Reserve Governor
- Mark Weinberger, Ernst & Young LLP
- Jack Welch, former General Electric CEO
- Daniel Yergin, IHS[1]