Key Legal Advisor Sean Cooksey’s Transition from Vice President JD Vance’s Office to the Private Sector

After playing a pivotal role in several significant initiatives during his tenure, Sean Cooksey, the top lawyer in Vice President JD Vance’s office, is moving to the private sector. Cooksey will join BGR Group, a lobbying and public affairs firm, according to a source familiar with the matter as reported by NBC News.

Sean Cooksey has built a reputation as a dedicated GOP lawyer and served as a former Federal Election Commission chair. As one of the original members of Vance’s team, Cooksey initially planned to stay in his role for about one year. He also held senior positions under Senators Ted Cruz from Texas and Josh Hawley from Missouri.

Vice President JD Vance expressed his gratitude for Cooksey’s contributions, stating, “Sean Cooksey has been a force to be reckoned with in our office, and I’m grateful for the tireless work ethic he brought to the job every day. We put a number of seriously challenging problems on Sean’s desk, but he was undaunted by anything we asked him to do. We wish him nothing but the best.”

Sean Cooksey’s influence was particularly notable when President Donald Trump appointed Vice President Vance to manage negotiations to keep TikTok operational in the U.S. Cooksey helped secure a deal that placed TikTok under a joint venture backed by American investors, addressing concerns about its Chinese ownership.

“Sean Cooksey stood at the forefront of advancing American innovation under President Trump,” said Michael Kratsios, Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Science and Technology. “As Counsel to Vice President JD Vance, he proved indispensable during landmark efforts including the successful TikTok negotiations. I deeply value his partnership in driving American leadership in technology.”

In addition to the TikTok negotiations, Cooksey contributed to the establishment of the Justice Department’s Division for National Fraud Enforcement. Recently, Vice President Vance announced an assistant attorney general position to tackle fraud investigations, a response to ongoing probes of alleged misuse of welfare funds in Minnesota. President Trump has nominated federal prosecutor Colin McDonald for this role.

Cooksey was also instrumental in discussions with the United Kingdom regarding access to encrypted Apple user data. The British demand was withdrawn following U.S. pressure.

Reflecting on his experiences, Cooksey stated, “It has been an honor to serve in the greatest presidential administration of my lifetime. President Trump and Vice President Vance are delivering every day on their massive electoral mandate to bring prosperity, security, and strength to America, and I look forward to supporting those efforts from this new role.”

Henry J. Gomez is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.