Look who’s talking: Pasco’s Tiffany Smiley defends Trump picks as frequent FOX, CNN guest
Former Washington state congressional candidate Tiffany Smiley is having a moment.
In the weeks since the GOP swept control of the White House and both chambers of Congress, Smiley has been called on by national TV networks to comment on political events as they unfold — from cabinet picks to presidential pardons.
The veterans advocate from Pasco told the Tri-City Herald this week that it’s also been an opportunity to show America a more nuanced view of the Evergreen State.
“I think a lot of Democrats, especially D.C. Democrats, are really surprised by the outcome of the election, and I want to be a voice who can showcase why,” she said.
“I want to be a voice that shows who we truly are in this conservative party and, not only that, but who we are in Washington state.”
President-elect Donald Trump has promised mass undocumented immigrant deportations, sweeping tax cuts and unconventional slashing of government spending as he approaches the Jan. 20 inauguration of his second term.
In recent days, news sites and the airwaves have been abuzz with many of Trump’s controversial cabinet appointments and picks to lead federal departments.
On CNN, FOX News and News Nation, Smiley has become a sterling defender of Trump’s choices — from FBI pick Kash Patel, the former federal prosecutor who said he wants to turn the Hoover Building into a “museum of the deep state,” to embattled former Congressman Matt Gaetz, Trump’s previous AG pick who’s been dogged by investigations into alleged sexual misconduct.
“The American people sent a mandate, and I hope all my friends in the Senate will come together and nominate President Trump’s picks as soon as they can. This is our shot to do it,” she told the Herald. “With 53 (Republican) senators, there’s a lot of wiggle room. There’s Democrats jumping on board now, there’s Democrats even supporting DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency).”
Trump’s cabinet appointments will need to clear a 50-vote threshold in the Senate in order to be confirmed.
“There’s a lot of exciting things going on, and I hope that Republicans come together and really deliver for President Trump,” she said.
Tri-City voters overwhelmingly backed Trump for president this year, with about 59% support in both Benton and Franklin counties. That’s a slight improvement from both his performances in 2016 and 2020.
She knows ‘how the other WA works’
Despite two failed runs for seats in Congress — first in 2022 for U.S. Senate, and again this year for U.S. House — Smiley has become a reliable voice for MAGA populism in the wake of a nationwide red wave.
Still, TV appearances aren’t new to Smiley — she’s been making them since her first run.
But as Trump improved on his 2020 performance in every corner of the U.S., including in Washington state, it’s become clear that national media is searching for answers.
Smiley told the Herald she believes Americans are craving “common sense” after four years of the Biden administration. Hers is a “tried-and-true, all-American story” of “tragedy, pain, heartbreak and fighting back.”
“There’s so many facets that encompass the American dream. It’s kind of a cross-section of who we are in this country. I’m honored to share that voice,” she said, adding later that Washingtonians “deserve to have a voice on the national stage.”
State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh said Smiley represents “a voice for a lot of people in this Washington who want to see real reform in the other Washington.”
“She knows how the other Washington works and is someone who can speak with practical knowledge about the best steps for the incoming Trump Administration to take to drain the swamp. She knows what she’s talking about,” he said in a statement.
In a Nov. 15 appearance on CNN’s “The Lead,” Smiley praised Patel, who would “shake things up” and called him in a later appearance “a really good sell to the American people.”
In another CNN appearance, she called Trump’s proposed 25% tariff threat on Mexican imports a “clear negotiating tactic” over immigration and fentanyl trafficking. And just this week, Smiley also clashed with panelists over President Biden’s blanket pardon of his son, Hunter, who was set to be sentenced in a pair of tax and gun purchase convictions.
Smiley also said on Twitter/X that Trump’s picks to lead a new government cost-cutting advisory group, the aptly named Department of Government Efficiency, were “exactly what our country needs” and that business-as-usual was “not the answer.”
“There were Americans who didn’t think their voices were being heard, and they overwhelmingly voted for Trump — and rightfully so,” she told the Herald. “Even here in Washington state, everyone asked, like, ‘How bad does it have to get before things change?’”
Pasco roots
Smiley, her three sons and husband, Scott, call Pasco home.
It’s where she grew up. Born in the Tri-Cities, Smiley played sports and got involved in 4-H. Tiffany and Scott both met in high school. He went on to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2003, and the two married later that year.
But their lives changed forever on April 6, 2005, when his convoy was attacked by a suicide car bomber while deployed in Mosul, Iraq. The shrapnel struck and blinded Scott, who had been in Iraq for less than six months at that point. And Tiffany chose to put her career as a triage nurse on hold after that.
Her advocacy for him led to his becoming the first blind active-duty Army officer, with duties that included teaching at West Point and commanding a Warrior Transition Unit. The two became advocates for improving services, and “took on” the Veterans Affairs Administration. Smiley says she also helped Trump during his first administration.
Most recently, Smiley challenged U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, this year for his seat representing Central Washington in Congress.
She didn’t make it far, though, placing third in the state’s open primary. Instead, fellow challenger Jerrod Sessler, who shared a Trump endorsement with Smiley, advanced to the general election and lost to Newhouse by 6 percentage points.
Smiley told the Herald she hopes Newhouse will work with DOGE and that he will “find ways to work with President Trump to better our communities and protect our communities in the 4th Congressional District.”
She gained statewide name recognition after her 2022 to run against U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who’s served in the Senate since 1993.
Her story of mom-turned-veterans advocate in the wake of her husband’s injury captivated many Washington voters. Smiley’s campaign raised $20 million but lost to Murray by 15 points in a year that saw Democrats fend off a midterm red wave.
When asked if she was planning another run at political office, Smiley said she would remain a prominent advocate and voice for Washington state.
This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
