TDFP EXCLUSIVE: Trump-Aligned America First Works Hires Lobbyists, Including Former Trump White House Aide, to Push the Protect College Sports Act
America First Works, a nonprofit group Fox News has described as "Trump-aligned," has hired the Washington lobbying firm Navigators Global, including a former Trump White House legislative affairs official, to lobby on the Protect College Sports Act, according to a federal lobbying registration reviewed by The Digital Free Press.
The registration, known as an LD-1 form, was filed with Congress under the Lobbying Disclosure Act and signed on Thursday, Oct. 22. It lists America First Works as a client of Navigators Global and describes the work as "Issues related to college sports, including the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 (H.R.9137/S.4668)." The form lists an effective date of Aug. 15, 2026.
The filing does not list how much America First Works is paying the firm. Registration forms do not include fees; those amounts appear in quarterly lobbying reports filed later.
Who Is Lobbying for America First Works
The registration names three lobbyists:
Chris Cox, who the form says served as Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs at the White House. According to his Navigators Global biography, Cox held that post "during the President's first term," was earlier a special assistant for legislative affairs to President George W. Bush, and served as chief of staff to Reps. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and Robin Hayes, R-N.C. The biography lists him as a founding principal of the firm.
Ryan Berger, a former deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, according to the filing.
Sarah Rogers, a former chief of staff to former Rep. Pat Meehan, R-Pa., according to the filing.
America First Works describes itself on its website as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. The group has publicly backed the bill. In an Aug. 25 opinion piece published by Fox News, former Auburn men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl was identified as "a senior advisor to America First Works, which supports the Protect College Sports Act."
What the Bill Does
The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 was introduced in the Senate on June 2 by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, as S.4668. A House version, H.R.9137, was introduced June 4 by Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Wash., and is cosponsored by Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., according to Congress.gov.
According to the Congressional Research Service summary of the Senate bill, it would set national rules for name, image and likeness (NIL) deals for college athletes and give schools and conferences a limited antitrust exemption to pool and sell certain media rights. The summary says the bill would:
Bar schools, conferences and associations such as the NCAA from restricting athletes from entering NIL agreements, subject to limits, and require athletes to report NIL pay over $600 to their school.
Require sports agents to register with a state and cap agent fees on endorsement contracts at 5%.
Give athletes one transfer without losing eligibility, and restrict football staff from becoming head coach at another school during the same season.
Make permanent the limit on revenue sharing with athletes set in the court-approved House settlement, with an annual inflation adjustment, and bar payments meant to get around it.
Require large athletic programs, those with $80 million or more in annual athletics revenue, to keep at least as many scholarships and roster spots in sports that do not make money as they had in the 2024-25 school year, with a hardship waiver.
The Senate passed the bill with an amendment on Sept. 28 by a vote of 77-22, according to Congress.gov. The House received it on Oct. 5, and it is being held at the desk. The House version remains in the Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Workforce committees.
The Digital Free Press found no news coverage of the lobbying registration before publication.
The Digital Free Press reached out to America First Works and Navigators Global for comment on Oct. 25; no response was received by publication.
Images: U.S. Capitol, west front, Architect of the Capitol, public domain; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mich., by Ken Lund, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: Lobbying registration (LD-1), Navigators Global LLC for America First Works, signed Oct. 22, 2026: https://lda.gov/filings/public/filing/05358621-e85d-490d-a9b2-2d41c9c09484/print/ ; Navigators Global, About (Christopher Cox biography): https://navigatorsglobal.com/about/ ; Congress.gov, S.4668, Protect College Sports Act of 2026: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4668 ; Congress.gov, H.R.9137, Protect College Sports Act of 2026: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9137 ; Fox News, May 18, 2026: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-unleashes-massie-gop-primary-showdown-against-trump-backed-navy-seal-vet ; Fox News opinion, Bruce Pearl, Aug. 25, 2026: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/bruce-pearl-conservatives-attacking-college-sports-bill-protects-women ; America First Works: https://americafirstworks.com/
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