HILLSTAFFER ADDS RADANOVICH: HillStaffer has hired former Rep. George Radanovich, adding the eight-term member and one-time winemaker as a senior adviser at the firm.

-- During his 16 years representing California's 19th district, Radanovich served on the Budget, Foreign Relations and Energy & Commerce committees, in addition to chairing multiple subcommittees under the Natural Resources committee. He announced his retirement in 2009.

-- The Republican has been an active consultant in California politics since leaving Congress and previously spent three years as president of the California Fresh Fruit Association, representing fruit growers and shippers in Sacramento and Washington.

-- His "deep understanding of multi-level government relations enhances our expertise in manufacturing & chemicals, agriculture, healthcare and financial services," HillStaffer president Thomas Rosenfield said in a statement.

-- Radanovich also had the distinction of being the first winemaker to serve in Congress since Thomas Jefferson, co-founding the Congressional Wine Caucus in 1999. Radanovich Winery opened in 1986 and remained in operation following Radanovich's election to Congress. He closed the winery in 2003, citing poor economic conditions for California winegrowers.

ANONYMOUS PENTAGON DONOR: The Pentagon confirmed today that it has accepted a $130 million gift from a private donor intended to help cover military paychecks during the government shutdown, POLITICO's Leo Shane III, Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch report.

-- President Trump announced the gift yesterday during an event at the White House, saying that a "friend" who wished to remain anonymous had donated the money out of a sense of patriotism.

-- "White House officials said that covering the cost of military pay for the first half of October totaled about $6.5 billion. Todd Harrison, a defense budget analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, said that based on that figure, the new donation will cover about one-third of one day's pay for the force."

Happy Friday and welcome to PI. Do you know who gave the Pentagon $130 million? Let us know at [email protected] and [email protected] or on Signal at danielbarnes.13 and caitlinoprysko.17. And follow us on X at @dnlbrns and @caitlinoprysko.

BIG BEAUTIFUL BALLROOM: Lobbyists with close ties to the president are steering clients to donate cash to Trump's White House ballroom project, Gabe Kaminsky reports for The Free Press.

-- Lobbyists and consultants like Brian Ballard, Jeff Miller and Kellyanne Conway have all connected clients with Meredith O'Rourke, Trump's 2024 campaign finance director who is in charge of raising money for the ballroom project that is estimated to cost $300 million.

-- Two Ballard clients, Amazon and Reynolds American, donated after his firm connected them with fundraisers, according to the report. Ballard and Miller represent several other ballroom contributors including Apple, Booz Allen Hamilton, Comcast, Micron, Palantir, Ripple Labs, T-Mobile and Tether.

TRUMP INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: A drone company that touts Donald Trump Jr. as an adviser has obtained its largest ever Pentagon contract, Joe Miller, Alex Rogers, Steff Chávez, and George Steer report for the Financial Times.

-- Florida-based Unusual Machines has been contracted by the U.S. Army to build 3,500 drone motors and other parts with an additional 20,000 components to be ordered next year, according to the report. The company declined to state the value of the contract.

-- Trump Jr. was brought on as an adviser in November 2024 and currently holds a roughly $4 million stake in the company. A spokesperson for Trump Jr. and the CEO of Unusual Machines both deny him having any involvement in the acquisition of the contract.

WOULD YOU LIKE FRIES WITH THAT: The International Franchise Association has enlisted some reality TV starpower for its "Franchise Means Local" campaign that launched earlier this month.

-- Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Angie Katsanevas,founder of franchised chain Lunatic Fringe Salon, features in a new ad from the association capitalizing on her recent barb towards a fellow Housewife: "You do french fries, I do franchise."

-- IFA's $5 million campaign consists of social media, digital and streaming TV ads and is intended to highlight local franchise owners and operators across the country.

-- Douglas Bove has joined FGS Global as managing director for geopolitics and policy risk. He most recently worked at the State Department as a senior advisor in the Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology.

-- Kelsie Taggart has been promoted to vice president of American Bridge 21st Century. She is a 10-year veteran of American Bridge who most recently served as director of digital media.

-- The AI Policy Network has added Ethan Saxon and Carrie Adams as vice president of legislative affairs and vice president of government affairs, respectively. Saxon previously served in the same position for the Mortgage Bankers Association and Adams most recently served as CEO of her own PR firm, CAPR.

TEAM HINSON (Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), NRSC, Fight On PAC-Federal)

American Dream Ohio PAC (Super PAC)

Building America Forward (Super PAC)

Freedom Caucus Federal PAC Louisiana (Super PAC)

Veterans Duty Fund (Super PAC)

Women & Business PAC (Hybrid PAC)

Bracewell LLP: American Cement Association (Formerly Portland Cement Association)

Brumidi Group: League To Save Lake Tahoe

Capitol Counsel LLC: National Council Of Nonprofits

Chaos Industries Inc: Chaos Industries Inc

Fgs Global (US) LLC (Fka Fgh Holdings LLC): Dragonfly Therapeutics, Inc.

Fgs Global (US) LLC (Fka Fgh Holdings LLC): Skyhawk Therapeutics, Inc.

Holland & Knight LLP: Benteler Trading International Ag

Holland & Knight LLP: Dynamic Medical Services D/B/A Acesso Biologics

Holland & Knight LLP: Holon US, Inc.

Holland & Knight LLP: Inx International Ink Co.

Holland & Knight LLP: Wayfair Inc.

Ibex2 Solutions, LLC: Revolution Space

Mccarter & English, LLP: New Jersey Community Capital

Mccarter & English, LLP: Rmr Aggregates, Inc.

Mcwilliams Governmental Affairs Consultants: Kickapoo Traditional Tribe Of Texas

Mercury Public Affairs, LLC: Button Bowl LLC

Mx Technologies: Mx Technologies

S-3 Group: Tin Can Untechnologies, Inc.

Sc Partners LLC: Nextracker

Venn Strategies: Mindful Choices For Adhd

Bridge Public Affairs, LLC: International Justice Mission

Drummond Woodsum Strategic Consulting LLC: Wabanaki Alliance

Freemyer & Associates P.C.: Fagg/Burke Cabins

Freemyer & Associates P.C.: Oregon Department Of State Lands (Dsl)

Gilliland & Mckinney International Counsellors (D/B/A Gmi Counsel): Consulting & Pr, D.O.O.

Gilliland & Mckinney International Counsellors (D/B/A Gmi Counsel): Net Publishing, S.R.O.

Kilpatrick Townsend And Stockton: Aries Clean Technologies

Kyle House Group: International Aids Vaccine Initiative

Mccarter & English, LLP: Count Basie Center For The Arts

Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Libra Solutions, L.P.

Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Lithos Carbon

Mcguirewoods Consulting (A Subsidiary Of Mcguirewoods LLP): Tire Pros Francorp, LLC

Milne, Wiener & Shofe Global Strategies (Fka M & W Government Affairs, LLC): Polestar Performance Ab

Summit Public Affairs: Lincoln Holdings LLC

Former congressmember and winemaker joins HillStaffer