When J. D. Vance rose from bestselling author to vice president, it seemed like an improbable political story. But behind that ascent was a small, well-connected network of donors, entrepreneurs, and strategists now seeking to redefine conservative politics for the post-Trump era. What began as a quiet weekend meeting in rural Ohio has evolved into a powerful machine shaping the next generation of the American right.
The Birth of Rockbridge
In 2019, a small group of right-wing donors rented a resort near the 100-person town of Rockbridge, Ohio, for a private summit. Their mission: secure the future of the MAGA movement by transforming Donald Trump’s personal following into an enduring political coalition.
Convened by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel and JD Vance, then an investor and author of Hillbilly Elegy, the gathering drew an unusual roster — hedge fund heiress Rebekah Mercer, then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and conservative economist Oren Cass, among others. But the meeting’s most consequential attendee was Chris Buskirk, an Arizona insurance entrepreneur and conservative media figure with a knack for organization.
That weekend gave birth to what became the Rockbridge Network — named after the town where it was conceived — now one of the most influential and secretive forces in GOP politics. With major funding from Thiel and other tech leaders, the group quietly built an infrastructure designed to help MAGA outlive Trump himself.
Building a Machine
Unlike traditional donor networks such as the Koch brothers’ political empire, Rockbridge has no public website or formal membership. Instead, it operates through a constellation of LLCs, super PACs, and affiliated ventures.
Rockbridge’s operations include pollsters, data analysts, advertising firms, and even a documentary film arm. According to insiders, the network has developed deep voter databases by tapping into nonpolitical memberships — churches, outdoor clubs, and local business associations — to identify potential supporters.
At the heart of this effort is Buskirk’s mantra: “Brains plus money plus base.” He recognized that Trump’s movement had two disconnected groups — millions of energized voters and a new class of wealthy conservatives alienated from Silicon Valley and Wall Street’s progressive turn. Rockbridge’s purpose was to bring them together, solve the right’s “coordination problem,” and build something permanent.
Patriotic Capitalism and Power
Buskirk’s influence extends well beyond politics. In 2021, he co-founded 1789 Capital with financier Omeed Malik, focusing on what they call patriotic capitalism. The firm has invested in roughly 30 companies that align with nationalist and “anti-woke” values — from AI defense manufacturers to Tucker Carlson’s new media startup and GrabAGun, an online firearms marketplace.
Recently, Donald Trump Jr. joined 1789 as a partner. The firm now controls more than $1 billion in assets and serves as a key link between MAGA politics and conservative venture capital. Together with the $500,000-per-seat D.C. membership club Executive Branch, 1789 and Rockbridge form a high-end social and financial ecosystem for Trump-aligned elites — a modern-day salon of power.
Buskirk sees this as the natural evolution of conservatism. He calls his philosophy “aristopopulism” — the idea that productive elites and working-class voters can be fused into a single, self-reinforcing movement. “Every society has an elite,” he argues, “but the question is whether it’s extractive or productive.” In his view, MAGA offers the latter: a patriotic aristocracy willing to rebuild America’s industrial base and restore its global standing.
From Idea to Infrastructure
Rockbridge’s growth mirrors the left’s own organizational playbook. Buskirk and Vance studied grassroots manuals and case studies from progressive groups like the NRA’s early membership model and Obama-era digital organizing. They concluded that sustainable political influence comes from trust networks — relationships built over time through shared identity, not just election-year advertising.
Their model works like a marketing funnel: attract individuals through shared interests (faith, outdoorsmanship, entrepreneurship), offer value through content and community, and only then activate them politically.
This slow, data-driven strategy proved effective. Rockbridge’s affiliated super PAC, Turnout for America, became one of the most efficient pro-Trump operations in 2024, spending $34.5 million to mobilize low-propensity voters in swing states. Internal data reportedly showed they exceeded their turnout targets by 10 percent — a result campaign insiders attribute to years of patient, behind-the-scenes groundwork.
Rewriting MAGA
The Washington Post and Reuters have both reported that Rockbridge’s ambitions reach far beyond one candidate. Its architects envision a long-term movement — “MAGA without Trump” — complete with its own media channels, fundraising pipelines, and business partnerships. Many in the network hope JD Vance will become the natural heir in 2028, continuing the brand’s populist-nationalist vision under a more disciplined, technocratic leadership.
This represents a striking evolution of American right-wing politics: from populist energy to professionalized institution. What began as a loose cultural rebellion has matured into a coherent donor-and-data empire. As one insider put it, “Rockbridge is to MAGA what the Heritage Foundation was to Reagan — but with algorithms and capital.”
Power, Perception, and Critique
Rockbridge’s growing influence has not gone unnoticed. Critics warn that the movement’s elite turn risks undermining its populist message. Figures from both the left and the libertarian right describe it as a “shadow oligarchy” — an unelected circle of billionaires and influencers steering national policy under the guise of populism.
Indeed, Rockbridge’s reach now extends deep into government. Many of its members serve in the current administration or hold advisory roles. Policies that loosened AI export controls and boosted crypto investments have disproportionately benefited Rockbridge-linked firms.
Even some conservative think tanks express unease. “The government’s job is to advance the prosperity of the nation — not the prosperity of wealthy individuals,” warned Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute. Still, for Buskirk, these critiques miss the point. “Self-government means you have to actually be involved in something you don’t want to do,” he said. “That’s how you rebuild a country.”
The New Right’s Renaissance
To Buskirk, what Rockbridge represents isn’t corruption — it’s renewal. He often compares his circle to past intellectual renaissances: Florence in the 1400s, the Scottish Enlightenment, mid-century America. Each, he argues, was the product of “a few dozen talented, high-agency people working in high-trust environments.”
At Rockbridge’s latest retreat in Key Biscayne, Florida, that rhetoric came to life. Between policy sessions and “Make America Healthy Again” yoga workshops, Cabinet officials mingled with entrepreneurs, defense contractors, and media influencers. The line between government and business blurred — intentionally.
The Stakes Ahead
Today, Rockbridge’s “vibe,” as one insider put it, is euphoric. New members pour in from the tech world, including billionaires like Marc Andreessen and David Sacks. The network has even launched a “NextGen” division for under-30 conservatives, including Buskirk’s own son.
But questions linger: Can a movement built on populist anger be steered by elite coordination? Can billionaires truly represent the working-class Americans whose grievances fueled MAGA’s rise? Or is this simply the next iteration of American power — a populism managed by technocrats in bespoke suits?
As the 2026 midterms approach, Rockbridge’s experiment in “productive aristocracy” will face its first true test. Its success or failure may determine not only the future of MAGA but the trajectory of the Republican Party itself.
Final Thoughts
What’s emerging around JD Vance and the Rockbridge network isn’t just another fundraising machine — it’s an attempt to engineer a new political establishment under the banner of populism. By blending Silicon Valley capital with nationalist rhetoric, this network may define what “MAGA 2.0” looks like: polished, data-driven, and deeply strategic.
Whether that evolution strengthens or sterilises the movement remains to be seen. If the network succeeds, MAGA could transition from a volatile personality cult into a permanent fixture of American conservatism — disciplined, well-financed, and digitally adept. If it fails, it may prove that populist energy resists institutional control, no matter how well-funded the effort.
Either way, the story of Rockbridge is a reminder that the future of politics often takes shape long before voters ever see it — in the quiet rooms where money, ambition, and ideology intersect.
Sources: The Washington Post, Reuters, American Compass, AEI