The Salaries Of White House Employees

Even at the highest level, jobs in politics aren’t actually the most lucrative, but they will definitely keep you comfortable. The salaries of elected officials in America are all public record since their paychecks are covered by the American taxpayers. Take a look at the pay information for the White House staff and see how much they actually make.

Donald Trump (President) — $400,000

Working at the oval office obviously has some nice financial perks, one of which is the $400,000 annual salary. Aside from that tidy sum, CNBC reports that the president also receives a yearly $50,000 expense allowance, $19,000 for entertainment and a $100,000 travel account. Every president since George W. Bush took office in 2001 has earned this amount.

Mike Pence (Vice President) — $230,700

Similar to former Vice President Joe Biden, Mike Pence makes $230,700 annually. Since 2010, that amount has been the same. In 2019, Pence was due for a small raise which would have given him $243,500 per year but the bump got frozen because of the government shutdown happening at the time. However, the veep has made a joke about being thrifty, in spite of his respectable paycheck, saying that he buys two for one suits.

Mick Mulvaney (Acting Chief Of Staff) — $203,500

Another tough job which has a generous salary is being the president’s chief of staff. Currently, there are very few White House employees who get paid more than $200,000 a year, and Mick Mulvaney is one of them. Like Grisham serving as the press secretary, Mulvaney is the third chief of staff since Trump became president, taking over in early 2019. In Obama’s White House, there were five different people who held the title in eight years, with Denis McDonough making $176,461 in 2016.

Peter Navarro (Assistant To The President For Trade And Manufacturing Policy) — $183,000

22 White House employees earn $183,000 a year under Trump and one of them is Peter Navarro. The Harvard graduate is the top man of the president in terms of trade and manufacturing policy. Since the beginning, Navarro has been part of the cabinet and the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, which he leads. It was created in 2017 by Trump. This means Navarro doesn’t have a predecessor whose salary we can compare to.

Lindsay Reynolds (Chief Of Staff To The First Lady) — $183,000

The spouse of the president gets their own staff as well and the person that leads them gets a pretty nice paycheck. Pictured at left below, Lindsay Reynolds has been working as chief of staff of Melania Trump since 2017 after working as the White House Visitor’s Office associate director under George W. Bush. There are 12 employees in the current first lady’s staff, all of whom are under Reynolds’ leadership. During Obama’s tenure, Christina Tchen was chief of staff of first lady Michelle Obama and made $176,461 per year.

Andrew Olmem (Deputy Director Of The National Economic Council) — $168,000

The National Economic Council was established in 1993 and its responsibilities include providing leadership in every area of economic policy. There are several employees in the Trump administration who serve as special assistant to the president for economic policy, and they all get paid at least $120,000 a year, but Andrew Olmem earns a tidy $168,000 for being the deputy director of the National Economic Council. Under Obama, Jason Miller was paid $149,654 for the same job in 2016.

Larry Kudlow (Director Of The National Economic Council) — $183,000

According to the White House salary report, the title Larry Kudlow holds is assistant to the president in economic policy. However, he is the director of the National Economic Council as well and he started that job in April 2018. He was a host on CNBC and worked in President Reagan’s administration. For his work directing the economic policies of the president, Kudlow gets paid $183,000, while Jeff Zients made $176,461 for the same job under Obama.

Roger L. Stone (Director Of White House Information Technology) — $168,000

Every workplace needs great information technology staff and Roger L. Stone, the current White House IT director, is paid $168,000 per year. He has held the position since February 2019, after the post was vacated by Chris Herndon. Obama created the position, which makes it one of the White House positions that are relatively new. During Obama’s tenure, David Recordon held the job in 2016 and earned $121,752 for keeping the tech at the office running smoothly.

Bethany Pritchard (Director Of White House Travel Office) — $92,400

Honestly, this seems like a job that should pay a bit more. The White House travel office director is responsible for making travel arrangements and booking accommodations for the members of the White House press corps who go with officials on trips, and receiving payment from various media outlets. In April 2019, Bethany Pritchard landed the job after she started in Trump’s administration as a staff assistant in 2017. However, her salary is relatively better than Ashley Tate-Gilmore’s pay of $77,625 in 2016 under Obama.

Dominique Dansky Bari (Director Of Stenography) — $95,500

Apparently, the position director of stenography for the White House is one of the few that isn’t driven by political alignment. Dominique Dansky Bari started her job under Trump in June 2017, but before that, she had been the deputy director of stenography for Obama’s White House since 2014. The job involves managing official White House stenographers. They take notes on every meeting and also deliver transcripts to the media after official events. Under Obama, the director of stenography was Margaret Suntum, who got paid $117,846 in 2016, which means the position got a pay cut in Trump’s White House.

Rickie Niceta (Social Secretary) — $168,000

The Washington Post has called the role of social secretary as the “least controversial” job at the White House. The role involves planning and executing many social events the White House hosts. First lady Melania Trump went with Anna “Rickie” Niceta for the social secretary position because of her twenty years of experience in event planning. Niceta gets paid $168,000 per year in the role, while Deesha Dyer made $119,723 in 2016 under Obama.

Stephanie Grisham (Press Secretary) — $183,000

Stephanie Grisham, Trump’s mouthpiece for the press, is among the highest-paid White House staffer. In case you haven’t noticed, being press secretary is a really tough gig. In fact, she is already the third press secretary since Trump became president in 2017. In the same year Trump took office, Sean Spicer abruptly resigned and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, his replacement, abruptly resigned in 2019, which paved the way for Grisham. Josh Earnest, Obama’s Press Secretary, made $176,461 in 2016.

Ivanka Trump And Jared Kushner (Advisor To The President And Senior Advisor) — $0

President Trump has received praise for his lean White House payroll and that extends to a couple of his closest advisors. Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, and Jared Kushner, her husband, have the official titles advisor to the president and senior advisor, respectively. While their names can be found in the White House salary report, there is a nice and round $0 next to them, since they both have chosen not to accept a paycheck for their position.

Molly Michael (Executive Assistant To The President) — $120,000

Quite a few jobs fall under the Oval Office operations’ umbrella and Molly Michael’s job is among the most important. She serves as executive assistant to the president, whose annual salary is $120,000 for basically being the right-hand woman of Trump. In Trump’s administration, there are seven others that hold the title executive assistant and each of them gets paid between $48,000 and $58,200 a year.

John Bolton (Assistant To The President For National Security Affairs) — $183,000

John Bolton was another $183k club member. He served as the national security advisor of Trump before resigning in September 2019. The job involves giving the president a report on national security matters and being part of the national security council, an advisory body that produces sensitive intelligence information. In Obama’s White House, Susan Rice serving in the same position was getting $176,461 annually as of 2016.

Anne LeHardy (Director Of Media Operations For The Office Of The First Lady) — $72,700

The Office of the First Lady also goes by the name the East Wing. It has its own staff, like communications officials, and in 2018, Anne LeHardy started serving as Melania Trump’s communications coordinator after a tenure in the private sector. According to the 2019 salary report of the White House, LeHardy is listed as the director of media operations of the first lady, a role that pays her $72,700. Under Obama, no one in the White House had the same title in 2016 although Joanna Rosholm was listed as deputy communications director of Michelle Obama and got paid $78,124 a year.

Lee Ann Clark (Chief Calligrapher) — $99,400

Who knew that calligraphy was a really lucrative skill in 2019? Currently, the White House has three calligraphers listed on staff and the lowest-paid makes $72,800 a year. Chief calligrapher Lee Ann Clark brings home $99,400 for her lovely writing, which adorns official certificates, invitations, programs, name cards and other documents. There were also three calligraphers on Obama’s staff, with the top scribe getting paid $100,110 in 2016.

Sean Doocey (Director Of Presidential Personnel) — $168,000

When a position needs to be filled, folks in the Presidential Personnel Office are responsible for vetting possible candidates before making recommendations for potential candidates whom the U.S. Senate may need to confirm. Making $168,000 a year, the director of the PPO Sean Doocey recently showed his role’s power by shooting down two candidates whom Trump wanted to serves as secretary of Homeland Security. In Obama’s White House, Rodin Mehrbani held the position and got paid $172,200 in 2016.

Frank Walsh (Ethics Counsel) — $151,633

It turns out that providing legal advice to the president regarding matters of ethics is worth a pretty penny. Trump has two lawyers on payroll and they have the title of ethics counsel. Georgetown law graduate Frank Walsh is the highest-earning of the two. He used to be a U.S. Army Reserve judge advocate and served as the United States Agency for International Development ethics counsel. Obama’s staff also included two ethics counsel attorneys and the highest-paid made $123,406 in 2016.

Jessica Ditto (Deputy Director of Communications) — $168,000

The communications staff is important for any political office, the White House especially. Jessica Ditto has been with Trump since 2016, during his campaign. When he started serving as president in 2017, she also started being the deputy director of communications. She makes $168,000 in her position, while Adam Kennedy earns $158,000 for the same job title working under Trump. Under Obama, the director of communications Jennifer Psaki got paid $174,714 in 2016.

Dana Hurtik (Acting Director Of White House Visitors Office) — $95,800

One of the most well-known residences in the world, the White House sees numerous tourists every year. Some of the responsibilities of the White House Visitors Office include hosting tours and maintaining the facility. Dana Hurtik has been the White House Visitors Office acting director since 2017 and gets paid $95,800 as of 2019. During Obama’s time, Ellie Schafer held that job and her efforts earned her $116,679 in 2016.

Samuel Brown (Senior Videographer) — $72,700

There is plenty to capture on video if you are working at the White House. The Trump administration has two videographers on staff, one of whom is Samuel Brown (not pictured below). He is the senior videographer at the White House and has an annual salary of $72,700, while another videographer makes $64,400. When Obama was president, Hope Hall was the only videographer on staff. She got $76,095 in 2016 for getting the president’s biggest moments on video.

Brittany Baldwin And Theodore Royer (Speechwriter) — $120,000

Trump’s staff include four speechwriters, two of them are Brittany Baldwin and Theodore Royer, who make $120,000. That is the highest salary for that set of employees. Baldwin and Royer makes sure the president has some thoughtful remarks that he can deliver at his speaking engagements. As of 2016, Obama had nine speechwriters listed on staff, whose annual salary ranged from $42,613 to $176,461.

Hannah Zakaria (West Wing Receptionist) — $48,800

Based on a search through the report on the 2019 payroll, there are 60 White House staffers who made less than $50,000 annually. One of them was the receptionist at the West Wing, Hannah Zakaria. She started as an intern at the White House in September 2018 and about three months later, she moved to her current role. In 2016, the unenviable position was held by Leah Katz-Hernandez. Obama’s West Wing receptionist pulled down $48,000.

Kellyanne Conway (Assistant To The President And Senior Counselor) — $183,000

While many White House staff members are called assistant to the president, only Kellyanne Conway can also have the title of senior counselor. Since the early days of Trump’s campaign, she has been with him and her hard work has been rewarded. She takes home an annual salary of $183,000. There was no senior counselor on Obama’s staff, so her salary cannot be really compared to previous advisors, but Trump obviously values Conway’s role since she’s one of the highest-paid members in his staff.

John Czwartacki (Senior Adviser to the Chief of Staff for Strategy & Stakeholder Engagement) – $239,595

Even though it’s a rare thing for an assistant to make more than their boss in the federal government, it isn’t impossible. John Czwartacki is the senior adviser to the chief of staff for strategy and stakeholder engagement. He makes $239,595 per year. In fact, he is the highest-paid staffer in the White House right now.

Stephen Miller (Senior Advisor for Policy) – $183,000

The assistant to the president and senior advisor for policy, Stephen Miller, makes $183,000 a year. While Miller wrote President Trump’s first State of the Union address, he’s better known as the force behind the administration’s tough stance on immigration policy. He’s also pushed Trump’s agenda to build a wall at the border of Mexico. A lot of the time, Miller is referred to as Trump’s right-hand man.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Former Press Secretary) – $183,000

Former press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, made $183,000 a year. However, she stepped down from her role in 2019 and was replaced by Stephanie Grisham. Sanders was the public voice of the White House. She was known for admitting to investigators that she knowingly made false statements to the public.

Mercedes Schlapp (Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications) – $183,000

Working for the communications team when she joined the White House back in 2017, Mercedes Schlapp now makes $183,000 a year. However, it was announced that in 2020 she will be leaving to start focusing on Trump’s re-election campaign.

Brooke Rollins (Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives) – $183,000

A prison reform activist, Brooke Rollins works with the President to apply “private sector solutions to the nation’s problems”. She now earns $183,000 a year as the assistant to the President for strategic initiatives.

Pasquale Cipollone (Counsel to the President) – $183,000

Pasquale Cipollone makes $183,000 advising the President on all legal matters. Cipollone replaced Don McGahn as White House counsel. McGhan resigned when he heard the White House was preparing to make him a scapegoat for potential obstruction of justice charges against Donald Trump as well as McGhan’s refusal to prosecute Hillary Clinton and James Comey.

Emma Doyle (Deputy Chief of Staff) – $183,000

The assistant to the President and deputy chief of staff, Emma Doyle, makes $183,000 a year at the White House. Being 31 years old, Doyle is one of the youngest White House staffers. In the past, she’s served as chief of staff for Mick Mulvaney during his time as director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Madeleine Westerhout (Director of Oval Office Operations) – $145,000

As the special assistant to the President and director of oval office operations, Madeleine Westerhout earns $145,000 a year. She started out as President Trump’s special assistant in 2017 and made $95,000 a year then. However, in August 2019, she was fired after  Trump learned she shared details of the Trump family and Oval Office operations with reporters during an off the record dinner.

Nicole Frazier (Director of Strategic Partnerships & African American Outreach) – $106,000

Being the director of strategic partnerships and African American outreach, Nicole Frazier now makes $106,000 annually. She was hired in 2019 to fill the role that was once held by Omarosa Manigault Newman before she was fired in 2017.

Christopher Liddell (Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Coordination) – $30,000

As it turns out, not everyone who works in the White House makes a great salary. Christopher Liddell is the assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff for policy coordination and he makes $30,000 a year. He’s responsible for “overseeing the Administration’s efforts to streamline the Federal Government’s regulatory process and modernize its technology systems,” according to the White House site. He earns the lowest salary in the White House.

Andrew P. Bremberg (Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy) – $179,700

The current nominee to be the representative of the United States to the European Office of the United Nations, Andrew Bremberg, makes $179,700 annually. Before he joined Trump’s administration, he was the policy advisor and counsel on nominations for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and policy director to former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker during his presidential candidacy.

John J. DeStefano (Counselor) – $179,700

An assistant to the President and counselor from 2018 to 2019, John DeStefano makes $179,700. In the past, he oversaw intergovernmental affairs. DeStefano entered the administration as the Director of Presidential Personnel but ended up leaving in May 2019 to become an adviser to the e-cigarette company Juul.

Emmet T. Flood (Special Counsel to the President) – $179,700

Emmet Flood served as the interim White House Counsel to President Trump from October 2018 to December 2018 after Don McGahn resigned. Now, Flood is the Special Counsel to President Trump and makes $179,700 a year.

Jason D. Greenblatt (Special Representative for International Negotiations) – $179,700

Jason Greenblatt is an assistant to the President and special representative for international negotiations. He makes $179,700 per year. He used to be the executive vice president and chief legal officer to The Trump Organization but now holds a position that was created for him by Donald Trump.

Joseph W. Hagin (Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations) – $179,700

An assistant to the President and deputy chief of staff for operations from 2017 to 2018, Joseph Hagin is another White House worker who makes $179,700 a year. He also served for President George W. bush from 2001 until 2008.

John. F. Kelly (Chief of Staff) – $179,700

A member of the board of directors for Caliburn International and a retired U.S. Marine Corps general, John Kelly served as the White House chief of staff for President Trump from 2017 to 2019. His annual salary was $179,700.

Marcia L. Kelly (Director of the Office of Administration) – $179,700

Marcia Kelly is the assistant to the President and the director of the office of administration, making $179,700 a year. She first joined the White House in 2016, formerly serving as the director of operations for the RNC’s 2016 convention in Cleveland, Ohio.

Derek S. Lyons (Staff Secretary) – $179,700

Derek Lyons is an assistant to the President as well as staff secretary. He became the acting White House staff secretary in 2018, making $179,700 a year. Previously, he was the deputy staff secretary and general counsel for Sen. Rob Portman.

Donald F. McGahn II (Counsel to the President) – $179,700

Donald McGhan served as White House counsel for President Trump from 2016 til 2018, when he resigned. While he was still working there, he made $179,700 a year. Before working at the White House, he served on the Federal Election Commission for more than 5 years.

Mira R. Ricardel (Deputy National Security Advisor) – $179,700

Assistant to the President and deputy national security adviser, Mira Ricardel is another who makes $179,700 a year at the White House. However, she didn’t last too long – less than a year to be exact. She was fired at the request of First Lady Melania Trump.

Brooke L. Rollins (Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives) – $179,700

Brooke Rollins currently serves as assistant to the President for strategic initiatives, earning – you guessed it – $179,700 a year. A lawyer, Rollins previously was president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based free-market think tank, from 2003 through 2018.

Daniel J. Scavino (Director of Social Media) – $179,700

Assistant to the President and director of social media, Daniel Scavino now makes $179,700 annually. As it turns out, Scavino is the author of Donald Trump’s Twitter posts. He was the general manager of Trump National Golf Club Westchester beforehand.

Marc T. Short (Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs) – $179,700

Currently, Marc Short is the chief of staff to current Vice President, Mike Pence. However, he previously served as the White House Director of Legislative Affairs for President Trump, making $179,700 each year.

Robert B. Blair (Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff) – $183,000

Robert Blair is assistant to the President and senior adviser to the chief of staff, making $183,000 a year. He used to be the associate director for national security programs for the Office of Management and Budget.

John A. Eisenberg (Legal Advisor to the National Security Council) – $183,000

John Eisenberg is the deputy counsel to the president for national security affairs and legal advisor to the National Security Council, earning $183,000 a year. Before working at the White House, he was a partner with the law firm Kirkland & Ellis.

Before And After Photos Show How Much Politicians Age During Their Time In Office

Theodore Roosevelt

William Howard Taft

Herbert Hoover

As the 31st President of the United States, Hoover set up a program that helped millions in Belgium avoid famine during the First World War and gained worldwide recognition as a ‘Great Humanitarian.’ But after the stock market crash of 1929 and the subsequent Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt defeated Hoover by a landslide in 1932. What a difference that can make four years!

 

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Gerald R. Ford

After Nixon resigned, then Vice President Gerald R. Ford stepped up on August 9, 1974 to take his place, announcing, “I assume the Presidency under extraordinary circumstances … This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts.” He was not re-elected for a second term, although he won the Republican nomination in 1976 to run up against future President Jimmy Carter.

Barack Obama

George W. Bush

George W. Bush—who followed in the presidential footsteps of his father, George H.W. Bush—was sworn in in January 2001. Less than a year later, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 took place. It was shown below at a press conference in July 2001. By the time President Bush left office in January 2009, after two terms, his wrinkles had deepened and his hair had turned gray. He had an active post-presidential “retirement” during which he nurtured his interest in painting.

George H.W. Bush

George H.W. Bush commenced his term as President of the United States in 1989. He was seen in his official 1989 presidential portrait. George H.W. Bush left office in 1993 after being defeated by Bill Clinton in the 1992 national election. It looks like he gained a little more gray around the temples. Bush died in November 2018 at the age of 94.

Angela Merkel

In 2005, veteran politician Angela Merkel became German Chancellor. She saw here shortly after she came to power. Merkel, seen below in May 2019, is still leading Germany today, despite recent speculations about her health. She announced at the end of 2018 that she would not be seeking reelection in 2021.

Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hasn’t been in office for a very long time. It was elected in 2015. It’s shown below in 2012 wearing a longer hairstyle and posing with his wife, Sophie Grégoire. It was less than a year before he became the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. As of 2019, Trudeau had been prime minister for four years. During his time in office, he kept his hair shorter, and he also had a few more wrinkles. Recently, Trudeau announced that he would run again in the fall of 2019 for the Canadian Prime Minister elections.

Theresa May

Theresa May has often been on the breeze news since becoming Britain’s prime minister in July 2016. She was only the second female prime minister of the United Kingdom, and Margaret Thatcher was the first. May is shown below in 2012 when she was still the British Home Secretary. May is due to leave office in July 2019. Since her time as Home Secretary, her hair has become shorter and she’s embraced her natural gray.

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton served two terms as President of the United States, from 1993 to 2001. It was shown below on the election night in November 1992. Clinton is seen shortly after leaving office in 2001. He is ten years older than he was when he was first elected. Since then, he has also become a vegan and lost a considerable amount of weight.

Lyndon Johnson

After the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, Lyndon Johnson became President. It’s shown below less than a week after JFK’s death. The following year, he won his own four-year presidential term. Johnson seems to be more weathered in this image of July 1968. His term ended in 1969 and he didn’t run for a second. He died from a heart attack in 1972.

Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi is one of the most prominent U.S. political leaders. Here it is seen shortly after becoming the new Democratic Whip in 2001. Since then, Pelosi has been Speaker of the House of Representatives twice, first from 2007-2011 and then again from January 2019 to the present. Pelosi has changed her hair since the Democratic Whip Days of 2001. It’s here in May, 2019.

Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter won the U.S. presidential elections in 1976. He’s shown below while campaigning for that election. He was in office for a period of time, until 1981. President Carter seemed a little more weather-worn but happy in the 1982 post-presidential picture. He has had an extremely active post-presidential life and is now the longest-lived president of the United States.

Vladimir Putin

In 2000, Vladimir Putin was elected president of Russia. He was shown below a few months after entering the office. Putin was Russia’s prime minister from 2008-2012 and became president again in 2012. He has been re-elected in 2018 and is currently serving.

Jacinda Ardern

New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, is still relatively new to the world scene but has made headlines late for having a baby while in office and for responding to the 2019 mosque shootings in her country. Here she is at the 2012 Labor Party rally when she was a list MP (Member of Parliament), a role she won in 2008. In October 2017, Jacinda Ardern, the youngest female world leader ever, was elected Prime Minister.

John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy is seen here in 1953 when he was a U.S. senator and was due to marry Jacqueline Bouvier. From 1961 to 1963, he served as U.S. President when he was assassinated. Here is a picture of President Kennedy the day he died, Nov. 22, 1963.

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi, who had no relationship with Mahatma Gandhi, was the daughter of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. She became the country’s prime minister in 1967, a few years after her father died. Gandhi’s been seen here in 1963. Gandhi served as Prime Minister from 1967 to 1977, then again from 1980 to 1984 when she was assassinated. The signature gray streak in her hair spread between the time she entered the office and the year she was killed.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu became Israel’s prime minister in 1996, the year in which his official portrait was taken below. He was in that role until 1999. It was re-elected in 2009 and again in 2015. It is not known whether Netanyahu will remain Prime Minister after recent scandals last year. But as of July 20, he’ll be Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. He was seen here in October 2018 looking much older than in his 1996 portrait.

Mitch McConnell

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky has been a member of the Senate since 1985. He became the Senate Majority Leader in 2015, having previously served as Minority Leader and Majority Whip. He was pictured below in 1987. After almost 35 years in the Senate, the now-77-year-old McConnell certainly looks different from the new senator. He was pictured below in January 2019.