Mercedes Viana Schlapp is a prominent political and policy expert and media commentator. She is currently the Vice President for Communications at CPAC where she develops communications strategies and messaging for the organization and oversees the organization’s growing social media presence. She manages the policy centers at CPAC and was instrumental in launching the CPAC Center for Combating Human Trafficking, the CPAC Center for Combating Antisemitism, and the Hispanic grassroots coalition CPAC Unidos. Along with her husband Matt, she is rapidly expanding the conservative movement internationally by organizing CPAC conferences and building grassroots and coalition partnerships across the globe. Schlapp has met with top international leaders, ministers, and presidents in Argentina, Israel, El Salvador, Brazil, Mexico, and more. Her priority is to defend freedom, promote President Donald J. Trump’s America First policies, and fight against communism and globalism.  Currently, Schlapp is a co-host for the daily Newsmax show The Right Squad and the online show CPAC Now: America Uncanceled. She is also a weekly host on WMAL morning radio show.

Mercedes’ previously worked in The White House for President Trump as an Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications where she managed the communications team, advised on messaging, policy, and scheduling, and served as one of the top communicators.  She also developed and executed communication policy rollouts in coordination with the White House offices and the Cabinet. In 2001, she worked as the Director of Specialty Media in The White House where she was a spokesperson in both English and Spanish and developed communication strategies for the Office of Media Affairs.

Mercedes also has extensive experience in presidential campaigns, dating back to 2000 when she worked in communications for the Republican National Committee. In 2009, Mercedes and her husband Matt founded Cove Strategies that provides legislative, communications, and digital services to corporations and non-profit organizations. In the 2020 Trump campaign, she was Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications where she successfully built and implemented the Hispanic communications and political outreach campaign in both English and Spanish. The campaign produced historic Hispanic support for President Trump. She also created and produced the Team Trump online programs that reached over 3 million viewers nightly and co-hosted The Right View, a weekly on-line talk show that focused on policies impacting American women.  While on the campaign trail, Mercedes traveled across America, working with grassroots activists to expand the voter base and participating in local media interviews and townhalls.

Before joining The White House, Mercedes was a contributor on Fox News.  She frequently appears on BBC, Univision, Telemundo, CNN en Español, and other national and international networks. Mercedes has published op-eds in FOXNews.com, The Daily Caller, and The Hilland was a columnist for The Washington Times and U.S. News & World Report.  Along with her husband Matt, they hosted a weekly radio show on Sirius XM for several years.

She is a first generation Cuban American whose father fought against the Castro dictatorship and was a political prisoner for six years. Mercedes was inspired by her father’s story and has dedicated her life to promoting civil discourse, fighting against socialism, and defending freedoms in the United States and across the globe. A Miami native, Mercedes earned a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University. Mercedes, her husband Matt, and their five daughters currently reside in Virginia.

Download Mercedes' Headshots