A separate account pays for White House Office staff and operations, including advisors and administrative staff who directly support the president. As of July 1, 2026, there were 411 White House staffers, including 365 employees and 46 full- or part-time detailees, according to the annual report to Congress on White House Office Personnel.
Salaries and employee benefits make up most of the White House Office’s operating budget.
Some of the highest-paid White House staffers include Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Director of Speechwriting Ross Worthington, who each earn $195,200, according to a recent personnel report. While nothing to sniff at, these government salaries lag behind what professionals often earn in the private sector.
Congress appropriated $78.9 million for White House staff and operations in fiscal 2026, the same amount appropriated for fiscal 2025.
For fiscal 2025, the White House Office recorded about $43 million in compensation for permanent full-time staff. OMB estimates that this will rise to about $51 million for fiscal 2026 and proposes the same amount for fiscal 2027.
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