In The Power and the Money, Tevi Troy reveals the intricate power dynamics between America’s presidents and top CEOs. As government regulations increasingly shape the business landscape, CEOs have become essential players in influencing policy while also serving as allies—or adversaries—to the presidency. Drawing on untold stories and his White House experience, Troy explores how figures like John D. Rockefeller, Elon Musk, and Katherine Graham navigated these high-stakes relationships, reshaping both the economy and the nation.

Hi Tevi Troy, so why did you write this book… now?

Tevi Troy: I am the author of five books on the presidency, and each of my books looks at the question of presidents and . For this book, the  was CEOs because no one has covered the topic before and CEO involvement in our politics speaks to our current moment, especially with the rise of the tech sector and people like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk becoming increasingly involved in politics.

An extract from your book that best represents yourself?

T. T.: My favorite character in The Power and the Money is Lew Wasserman. He’s a Hollywood mogul who initially thinks that Washington is not relevant to his business, but then finds out that he can try to ignore Washington, but Washington will not be ignoring him. He then completely recalibrates and befriends and advises multiple presidents, including Lyndon Johnson, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. I relate to the fact that he was a strategic thinker who was constantly re-evaluating his approach to things and trying to do things better.

The trends that are just emerging and that you believe in the most?

T. T.: I am a relentless optimist. The nature of humanity is to be pessimistic, but I’ve seen amazing technological advancements just over the course of my lifetime and I think that the best is still yet to come.

If you had to give one piece of advice to a reader of this article, what would it be?

T. T.: If you are a CEO, be sure to be very involved in your company’s dealings with Washington. If you are a citizen or investor, make sure the companies you back take that advice.

In a nutshell, what are the next topics that you will be passionate about?

T. T.: I am always passionate about the presidency. The fact that we get a new one — or a chance at a new one — every four years makes it a constantly renewable resource, and the rich history makes it endlessly fascinating.
Thank you Tevi Troy.
Thank you Bertrand Jouvenot
Tevi Troy is a senior fellow at the Ronald Reagan Institute, a Senior Scholar at Yeshiva University’s Straus Center, and a former Deputy Secretary of HHS and senior White House aide. He is the author of five books on the presidency, including “The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry