Hammond served as the press secretary and national spokesman for Newt Gingrich's 2012 presidential campaign.[5] During the campaign, Hammond excluded national press from one of Gingrich's news conferences and refused to take questions from a Los Angeles Times reporter because of a story he had written.[6] Following a campaign event in Alabama, Hammond threatened to withhold information from journalists if they wrote about Gingrich's unavailability to the press. Asked if he was withholding access if the press printed something he didn't want, he said "I've been doing that for the entire campaign."[7]
During the campaign, Hammond received national media attention for his repeated confrontations with Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz.[8][9][10]Politico sarcastically referred to him as the "ever-lovable R.C. Hammond."[5] The Los Angeles Times called Hammond a "political pit bull" and "sharp-tongued."[11]
Consulting firms
Hammond founded his own public affairs, crisis and media relations consulting firm, R. C. Hammond Public Affairs, in 2012.[12][13] He joined the public relations firm Hill+Knowlton Strategies in 2014 as Vice President.[14] In July 2016, Hammond joined The Herald Group, a DC consulting firm, as Vice President.[13][15]
Trump administration
Following the election of Donald Trump, Hammond was selected by the President-elect's transition team to guide then-Secretary of Defense nominee James Mattis through the Senate confirmation process.[16]
Hammond served as a top communications adviser to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and a spokesperson for the United States Department of State until December 2017.[17]