Character

Chad Margrudien

careless politically vulnerable operationally peripheral publicly compromised

Chad Margrudien operates as a junior political operative tied to Vice Presidential advance operations who surfaces repeatedly as a source of personnel and optics headaches for White House communications. In the current material he appears only through staff gossip and press reporting: named as the advance man accused of misusing a Navy helicopter on a golf outing and identified as the subject of a leak. Series continuity also records Margrudien as a presidential appointee to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting board who becomes publicly entangled in scandal and resigns, making him a small but recurring liability the administration must manage.

4 appearances

Also known as: Chad, Chad Magrudian

Chad Margrudien's Journey

A timeline through the narrative

4 moments

S1E13 · Take Out The Trash Day

Gossip Shut Down — The Leak Identified

Not directly observable in-scene; inferred to be indifferent to optics or unaware of immediate consequence.

Chad Magrudian is not physically present but is named explicitly as the likely source: his reputation for misusing advance resources is recited and he is accused of leaking the helicopter/golf …

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S1E13 · Take Out The Trash Day

Donna Identifies the Leak — Magrudian's Helicopter

Not present in the room; inferred as exposed and vulnerable to reputational harm — potentially defensive or unaware depending on offstage actions.

Chad Margrudien is an offstage subject whose past actions—using a Navy helicopter, securing impossible tickets, golfing at Pebble Beach, and 'advancing' trips by diverting time—are enumerated by staff as evidence. …

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S1E13 · Take Out The Trash Day

The Leak Question — C.J. Draws a Line

Not on-screen; implied exposure and career risk given the allegation.

Chad Magrudian is mentioned as the subject of the helicopter story; he is present only as a named liability whose actions require reputational triage by C.J. and Toby.

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S1E13 · Take Out The Trash Day

Toby's Gentle Probe — Zoey and the Leak

Not present; implicitly vulnerable, likely defensive if confronted, and at risk of reputational and career consequences.

Named by Toby as the advance man who allegedly used a Navy helicopter for a golf outing; he is the focal point of the minor scandal and an object of …

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