They helped plan the Jan. 6 rally. Now their events company is making millions from government contracts

Events company whose associates helped make the rally on January 6, 2021, has signed contracts worth more than $26 million with the United States government, according to documents reviewed by WIRED. Following President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Event Strategies, a Virginia-based firm with deep ties to Trumpworld, has negotiated a contract with the General Services Administration that could be worth up to $100 million over the next 15 years.

That’s a remarkable rise for the 26-year-old firm, which until the recent windfall had won about $50,000 in government contracts over the past decade. It also appears that Event Strategies won these new contracts with very little competition. According to HigherGov, a tool used by contractors to track federal and state contracts, Event Strategies was the only company to bid on eight of the 11 contracts tracked by the site.

Many of the recent contracts are tied to America 250, an 18-month celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In early 2025, the US Jubilee Commission, a bipartisan group created in 2016 to coordinate the celebrations, cut ties with Precision Strategies, an event planning group founded by Obama-era officials. Soon after, the commission hired Event Strategies to replace them.

Contracts reviewed by WIRED in the System for Award Management database show that by September 2025, the company had signed its first contract related to the celebrations: a $5 million contract for work related to Titans of the Sea, an event designed to celebrate the fleet’s 250th anniversary. Weeks later, the company signed another $2.1 million deal for AMERICA 250 – EVENTS.

Most recently, Event Strategies signed a $333,084 contract with the General Services Administration in early February for “FREEDOM 250 DESIGN AND CONTENT SUPPORT SERVICES.” According to the White House, Freedom 250 is a « public-private partnership » related to America 250.

The tenor of America’s 250 celebrations has already proven controversial. Over the past few months, large banners ostensibly related to the project have been seen hanging from federal buildings across Washington. One banner that was hung outside the Department of Justice read: « Make America Safe Again » along with a massive image of Trump’s face. The DOJ said the banner was put up to « celebrate 250 years of our great country. » To many, the motto was an indication that the Justice Department had failed to maintain its independence during Trump’s second term. California Governor Gavin Newsom said the banner was « beyond travesty, » writing on Facebook: « How many dictatorship-style monuments, building name changes and bogus awards do Americans have to endure? »

In early March, banners depicting Charlie Kirk, Booker T. Washington and Catherine Beecher were hung outside the Department of Education near Capitol Hill, along with two large banners bearing the America 250 logo. Critics were alarmed to see Kirk’s image on the banner, as the late Turning Point USA co-founder and conservative commentator had previously called for the Department of Education to be « abolished » and was known for numerous racist remarks. and homophobic comments.

WIRED could not confirm whether these particular banners or the banners hanging at the DOJ were designed and executed by Event Strategies. The DOJ and the Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment about the company responsible for the banners.

« There is a proper federal competitive bidding process, and the White House expects all agencies to follow it, » White House spokesman Davis Ingle told WIRED. When asked for further comment on event strategies, Ingle referred WIRED to the General Service Administration. GSA did not respond to a request for comment.

The contracts

When Trump lost the 2020 election, Event Strategies was there: co-founder Tim Unes was listed as the stage manager for the Jan. 6 rally at the Ellipse in 2021, according to documents filed to secure the permit. Megan Powers Small, who is now the Event Strategies team chief, was listed on rally permit documents as the event’s « Operations Manager for Planning and Directions. » Justin Caporale was listed as the project manager of the event. Although Caporale was later described as CEO of Event Strategies and managing partner of the company, he previously served as director of operations for Melania Trump in 2018 and the Trump campaign in 2020.

While out of office, Trump continued to work with Event Strategies. The company produced many of Trump’s campaign rallies during the 2024 presidential campaign; filings from this year show Event Strategies received $31 million from the Trump 47 PAC over a seven-month period. Caporale’s Instagram account also shows him interacting with Trump and administration officials, including at some of those same rallies.