As Democrats express concern over their reduced influence and attempt to rein in President Trump, a former senator from the party is discovering profitable ventures in Republican-led Washington.
Since her departure from Congress in January, Kyrsten Sinema has initiated a variety of projects and new roles centered around cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, and psychedelic research.
She heads an organization that promotes Arizona businesses. Additionally, she is part of the Coinbase Global Advisory Council, is employed at a lobbying and law firm, and continues to teach at Arizona State University. Sinema chairs an association for companies involved in AI and claims that the group has significantly influenced certain executive orders in that field.
“I collaborated effectively with the Trump administration during Trump 1.0. I’m collaborating effectively with the Trump administration in Trump 2.0,” the former Arizona senator stated in an interview. “That’s always been my approach.”
While her earnings have not been made public, sources familiar with her endeavors estimate that she is on track to earn well over a million dollars this year. Her aide chose not to comment on the amount.
It is not uncommon for former lawmakers to profit after leaving Congress. However, the sheer volume of Sinema’s projects is remarkable—and so are her connections with a party she never officially joined.
She completed a single tumultuous term in the Senate as a Democrat and later as an independent, negotiating on infrastructure and gun control while thwarting the Democrats’ attempts to increase tax rates on corporations, private-equity managers, and high-income households. She played a crucial role in supporting the Democrats’ significant fiscal legislation in 2021 and 2022 while the party held the majority.
However, she frustrated her colleagues by obstructing the Democrats’ efforts to abolish the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate, which restricted the party’s capacity to advance immigration and election reforms. She did this while disregarding traditional Senate norms, occasionally donning neon wigs, sequins, and thigh-high boots.
Sinema was a puzzling figure in Washington, with progressives initially hailing her election as Arizona’s first female senator and the first Democrat to represent the state in decades. Yet, many within the party quickly became disillusioned with her centrist, pro-business stance. In 2022, she departed from the Democratic Party and chose not to run for re-election in 2024 as her chances of winning diminished.
Since leaving her position, the 49-year-old has rebranded herself as a Republican insider, engaging with White House officials and assisting clients in navigating Capitol Hill.
While persuading major Arizona companies to contribute $250,000 each for the inaugural year of membership in the Arizona Business Roundtable that she leads, Sinema emphasized her connections in Washington, including her relationships with Vice President JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.). She informed The Wall Street Journal that she has a personal rapport with most members of Trump’s cabinet.
