Top story: Donald Trump Jr. Calls Out Deloitte Consultant

A Deloitte consultant, Kevin Gallagher, has been identified as the source behind the leak of JD Vance’s private communications to The Washington Post, sparking controversy. The messages, dating back to 2020 when Vance was a private citizen, showed him criticizing Donald Trump. While Vance’s prior criticisms of Trump were public knowledge, The Washington Post portrayed these private messages as significant since they occurred during Trump's first term and just before the 2020 election. However, the real controversy revolves around the ethics of the leak and the media’s handling of it.

The Washington Post granted Gallagher anonymity, claiming concerns about retaliation, but Breitbart revealed his identity, accusing the newspaper of unethical journalism. Gallagher, a principal at Deloitte with deep connections in the investment management industry, deleted his social media accounts after the leak became public. This deletion raised questions about his motivations and whether Deloitte was aware of his actions. Vance’s team criticized the media for withholding the full context of the conversation and not identifying the other party, which they argue is essential to understanding the exchange.

The situation has wider implications, especially for Deloitte, which prides itself on its nonpartisan reputation. Deloitte, like other major consulting firms, works closely with both Democratic and Republican administrations, and Gallagher’s leak could jeopardize its standing with Republican leaders, especially if Trump wins the next election. A source close to Trump’s family expressed outrage over the situation, suggesting Deloitte’s government affairs team should be fired if they failed to prevent the consultant’s actions.

This episode also draws attention to The Washington Post’s handling of leaks. In a previous story involving Vance, the newspaper disclosed both parties involved in a message exchange, raising questions about why Gallagher’s identity was protected this time. Vance’s team requested that The Washington Post provide the full context of the leaked messages, but the newspaper declined, further fueling claims of selective transparency. Vance’s spokesperson called the media’s actions “unethical journalism” and accused The Washington Post of deliberately withholding information to manipulate the narrative.

The fallout from the leak highlights the precarious nature of political alignments in corporate America. While Deloitte has made efforts to stay neutral, the involvement of a senior consultant in leaking politically sensitive information may complicate its efforts to maintain relationships across party lines. As Vance rises in political prominence, this episode could have long-lasting effects on Deloitte’s reputation and its ability to operate in the political sphere without appearing partisan.

In the midst of this, Gallagher remains silent, leaving questions about his motives and the potential repercussions for Deloitte unanswered. The incident underscores the ethical dilemmas facing both media outlets and corporate consultants when they become entangled in political conflicts.

Read more here.

Gossip roundup

• McKinsey gets $32M for Canadian oil pipeline cost reduction work while also advising oil companies in Canada

• Deloitte UK has had a terrible year, but partners still made over $1.3M on average

• KPMG survey says that most CEOs anticipate full return to office in 3 years

• Travel tips from an MBB road warrior

Apple will happily replace your iPhone with a new version that is powerful enough to run Siri (aka ChatGPT)

• [NEW] Ladder Senior Manager of Business Operations, Digital Insurance, Remote, ~7 years of consulting experience, ~$154-200k

• Adobe Senior Sales Strategy and Operations Lead, SF, 5+ years of consulting experience, ~$96-200k

• Instacart Senior Associate of Corporate Strategy, Remote, 4+ years of consulting experience, ~$101-135k

• Netflix Deal Analysis Associate, LA, ~2+ years of consulting experience, Comp not shared

• AWS Corporate Strategy (Industrial), Major US Cities, ~5+ years of consulting experience, ~$133-220k

• Faire Strategy and Analytics Lead, Remote, Retail, ~5+ years of consulting experience, ~$151-207k

That’s all for now - we will circle back next week for another edition of So What? Use the poll below to tell us how we did 👇

It would be crazy not to tell a few of your consulting friends about this newsletter, right?

We’ll send you two pretty spicy McKinsey decks when you refer just one person. Use the link below to refer!