Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Call it a case of strange bedfellows.<\/p>\n
Grindr, the LGBTQ+ dating app, has expanded its political presence in both Washington and California as it seeks to flex its influence muscles on a range of policy priorities. The app\u2019s ambitions have grown since President Donald Trump\u2019s return to office \u2014 and much of that is due to the registered Republican running the shop.<\/p>\n
Since April 2025, Joe Hack has navigated a GOP-controlled Washington as he pushes forward Grindr\u2019s biggest legislative priorities. Out in California, George Arison, Grindr\u2019s self-described \u201cconservative\u201d<\/a> CEO, has waded into primary politics<\/a>, pushing moderate San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan as the next governor.<\/p>\n Even amid Trump\u2019s anti-DEI and LGBTQ+ crackdown, Hack told POLITICO he\u2019s found room for bipartisan agreement in Washington. And the scale of Grindr\u2019s influence will be on full display Friday, when the app hosts its inaugural White House Correspondents Dinner weekend party \u2014 for which Democrats and Republicans alike have been clamoring to get an invite.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re planting a flag,\u201d Hack said in an interview. \u201cWe\u2019ve been doing policy work here now for a year, and the issues we care about are important not just to us, but to our community.\u201d<\/p>\n The glitzy bash \u2014 held in a $9 million, 10-bedroom Georgetown mansion \u2014 is one of the buzziest fetes of the upcoming weekend, and the guest list has been closed for more than a week. \u201cThe interest level has been insane,\u201d Hack said. Though he declined to provide a preview of expected attendees, he teased that \u201cvery high level people from both sides\u201d had RSVP\u2019d. \u201cWe\u2019ll see if they come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Before taking over Grindr\u2019s lobbying, Hack spent more than a decade as an aide to Republicans on Capitol Hill. That included six years as chief of staff to Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who voted against codifying gay marriage<\/a> about a year after Hack transitioned to the private sector.<\/p>\n Now, Hack is leading a lobbying blitz at Grindr. The app has poured $1.6 million into its influence operation since it registered to lobby federal lawmakers in April 2025. In the first three months of 2026, Grindr spent $432,500 on its in-house lobbying operation, as well as an additional $120,000 across two large lobbying firms working on its behalf, according to disclosures published this week. The legislation Grindr is targeting includes issues related to \u201csurrogacy and IVF access for same-sex couples,\u201d as well as two bills \u2014 one sponsored by Rep. John James (R-Mich.) and one by Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) \u2014 that would make it more difficult for minors to download the 18+ app.<\/p>\n \u201cOne area that might be surprising is we’ve had very productive conversations with some House Republicans on online safety and working to keep kids safe, but also do it in a way that’s privacy-forward,\u201d Hack said.<\/p>\n But its main focus has been on HIV prevention funding. Grindr partners with the Centers for Disease Control to distribute HIV self-test kits in the U.S. through its app, Hack said, and partners with other organizations globally to use its platform to increase access to health care.<\/p>\n Last year, Trump demanded that Congress authorize more than $400 million in spending cuts to PEPFAR, the global HIV-AIDS program started under former President George W. Bush. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) vocally criticized the cuts<\/a>, and the White House ultimately relented<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lobbying disclosures show that Grindr specifically targeted that rescissions bill. A spokesperson for Collins confirmed that her team had met with Grindr, writing in a statement that \u201cSenator Collins has a strong record of supporting the LGBTQ community.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMost recently, Senator Collins has been recognized as a leading advocate for PEPFAR and continuing the U.S.\u2019s important role in the fight against HIV\/AIDs,\u201d Collins spokesperson Blake Kernen said in a statement. \u201cShe appreciates this recognition of her leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n Hack also personally contributed $3,500 to Collins, which he told POLITICO came through a donation at a Sept. 25 fundraiser. He also said he expected to give $3,500 to Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), another partner in HIV prevention, in June.<\/p>\n \u201cAs the administration is contemplating PEPFAR 2.0 and what that looks like, we would like to step up in a more meaningful way as a public-private partner,\u201d he said. \u201cWe’re not looking for tax money. What we’re looking for is really to leverage the power of our platform and our unique and unparalleled reach that no other company has, and to use that on behalf of our community to grow health care access.\u201d<\/p>\n Grindr\u2019s focus on health care, Hack said, is part of what he called Arison\u2019s goal of expanding the platform beyond just a relationship app and into a \u201cglobal gayborhood\u201d at the intersection of telehealth, travel and leisure.<\/p>\n Since taking over as CEO in 2022, Arison has pushed to implement AI into the app and has been a supporter of Trump\u2019s light-touch AI regulation policies. Despite dipping his toes into the California gubernatorial race, don\u2019t expect Arison to become a new political player.<\/p>\n \u201cIn general, I don\u2019t get involved in politics,\u201d Arison told POLITICO in an interview last week. \u201cI don\u2019t want Grindr involved in politics at all.\u201d<\/p>\n As for this weekend\u2019s party, the expectations are high among the D.C. chattering class.<\/p>\n Jon Levine, a reporter for the Washington Free Beacon who calls himself an \u201cinfamous conservative hatchet man,\u201d told POLITICO he would certainly be at the event.<\/p>\n Asked why, he responded with just two words: \u201cHard news.\u201d<\/p>\n Christine Mui contributed to this report.<\/p>\n Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICO’s Playbook newsletter<\/a>. <\/p>\n