WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Donald Trump signed an executive order against transgender athletes last year, he took a moment to thank Tina Deskovich, co-founder and CEO of Moms for Liberty.
Deskovich returned to the White House a few months later, with the CEOs of Google and IBM to weigh in on artificial intelligence and education policy.
Last month, when first lady Melania Trump hosted a global technology summit in Washington, Deskovich was also there.
His appearance at the White House underscores the group’s meteoric rise to make a name for itself in local politics, vying for school board seats and fighting to end “awakening” in American schools. What began as a fringe of far-right mothers has seen its interests collide with a presidential administration that embraces and amplifies their message, launching the group to a new level of influence on public policy.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Deskovich said she has a voice in discussions about banning transgender sports, AI in education, disbanding the Department of Education and the campaign to end diversity, equity and inclusion.
“We have a seat at the table in many policy discussions throughout the administration,” Deskovich, who lives in Florida, said during a recent visit to Washington. “We’ve been invited to participate in discussions and meetings where some of these things are hashed out.”
Supporters say the group’s launch speaks to the strength of its “parental rights” agenda, which has become a plank of conservative politics. Critics worry about its presence in the White House, saying the group promotes extreme views and undermines public schools.
The alliance with Trump offers a new lifeline after the ups and downs
Founded five years ago in Florida, the organization became known for challenging instruction in classrooms deemed inappropriate for children, often involving sex, race or LGBTQ+ themes. It later turned into state capitols, securing laws like Florida’s “don’t say gay” law.
It claims more than 300 chapters, with rapidly growing revenue from groups like the Heritage Foundation and conservative megadonors including Richard Uihlen.
However, by some measures, its impact appears to have diminished. Group-endorsed school board candidates struggled in the polls, and rival liberal groups rose to compete for power in America’s suburbs.
A series of missteps prompted ridicule among opponents, including an Indiana chapter quoting Adolf Hitler in a parent newsletter in 2023.
Yet when Trump returned to office, the group’s political fortunes soared. Her administration charged into the same cultural battles that Moms for Liberty named after, including a push to keep transgender players out of girls’ sports.
By his count, Deskovich has been to the White House about a dozen times in this administration.
Deskovich was present when Trump signed an executive order reforming the foster care system. She brought more than a dozen members to an event honoring Women’s History Month in March. Co-founder Tiffany Justice was there when Trump signed an order dismantling the Department of Education.
For the Trump administration, Moms for Liberty appears to be playing a role often filled by groups like national PTAs, said Rick Hayes, director of education policy at the conservative American Enterprise Institute think tank. After those establishment groups distanced themselves from Trump, he said, Moms for Liberty stepped in.
“Moms for Liberty speaks to a very active part of the MAGA community, and education has been a big part of the administration’s focus over the last 15 months,” he said.
Behind the scenes, Deskovich has become a tipster for agencies investigating schools on transgender sports and bathroom policies. After meeting with Justice Department officials, she submitted more than 250 complaints, she said.
“We’re really this grassroots team working together to help advance President Trump’s agenda,” she said.
The group is gaining momentum on Capitol Hill
Asked about his relationship with Moms for Liberty, the White House declined to offer specifics but said Trump is “the most pro-family president in history,” citing his child tax credit among other initiatives.
“The White House, along with many leaders, is proud to showcase these outstanding achievements for American families,” spokeswoman Olivia Wells said in a statement.
Moms for Liberty hopes to carry its momentum to Congress.
On a recent March morning, more than 100 members fanned out on Capitol Hill, delivering homemade cookies to lawmakers and their offices. Some brought their children, including one boy in a Trump-like suit and red tie.
House Speaker Mike Johnson stopped for a photo with some parents, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C, posted a photo on social media of himself giving a thumbs-up to the mom for liberty member.
The group’s members call themselves the “Happy Warriors,” which critics say hides their anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and aggressive tactics. The group has been accused of harassing teachers and school board leaders, calling its opponents “grommers” and “predators.”
Deskovich dismissed the criticism. “Our motto from day one, we are joyful warriors, because we knew we needed to advocate for what’s okay for our kids to see,” she said.
Yet he doesn’t shy away from a fight. The group is at odds with the Southern Poverty Law Center, which in 2023 labeled the parent group “extremist.”
Late last year, Deskovich spearheaded a letter urging the federal government to sever ties with the SPLC. Echoing the language of his letter, the FBI quickly agreed to do so.
Critics say extreme voices are getting a platform
Moms for Liberty’s presence at the White House is uncomfortable and surprising, said Seth Levy, SPLC’s chief program strategy officer.
“This is more evidence that they are more interested in putting extremist voices and policies on the platform than listening to the American people, who are demanding solutions to make their lives easier and more affordable,” Levy said.
The jump to federal policy marks a new chapter in the group’s evolution, said Maurice Cunningham, a former political science professor at the University of Massachusetts-Boston who tracks the organization and its affiliations.
Yet he sees the group’s influence as political advocacy rather than parental input. He identified the group as a close cousin to groups like the Heritage Foundation, which has been influential in Trump’s second term.
“They’re in the White House, there’s no question,” he said. “But they are there as the voice of the organized institutional right.”
Deskovich said the relationship with Trump was rooted in the 2023 convention where Republican presidential candidates threatened the group’s support. When Trump took the stage, he called Moms for Liberty “the best thing that ever happened to America.”
Moms for Liberty threw its weight behind Trump, and Deskovich said she’s close with her team.
The organization’s latest concern is AI in the classroom, which Moms for Liberty sees as a threat to parental control over education. At the White House meeting, Deskovich pushed for guardrails to ensure human guidance, not algorithms.
It is also expanding its national presence with a new online training program called M4L Academy, featuring videos on “critical race theory” and other topics the group views as taboo. And while its first trip to Congress was mostly seen as an introduction, it’s ready for more.
“We’re not really doing any lobbying for any specific bills at the federal level,” Deskovich said. “It comes next year.”
