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The Highest Earners Inside Trump’s White House in 2026

Press Room

Working at the White House might be one of the most exclusive and prestigious jobs in the US, but you’d be surprised by how much some of the people around the president make each year.

For starters, having the top job — that is, being the president of the US — brings in a salary of $400,000, which some independently wealthy presidents, such as John F. Kennedy, Herbert Hoover, and Donald Trump, have chosen to donate instead.

While the figure is significantly higher than what the average American makes — $72,800 in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration — it’s also less than you would need to be in the top 1% of earners across all US states.

In 2025, the top 1% of earners in Maryland and Virginia, which border the District of Columbia, earn $677,543 and $701,792 annually, respectively.

Government salaries often lag behind what professionals earn in the private sector, since serving the public isn’t as lucrative as maximizing shareholder value. Still, to say that those working at the White House are underpaid would be an overstatement.

On July 1, the White House shared with Congress the salaries of all employees inside the president’s executive office, including aides, advisors, and staff leaders, as it is legally required to.

Some of the highest-compensated workers around the president include policy advisors and legal counsel, while others are responsible for the president’s communications and personnel management. Lower-paid roles include research assistants and press assistants.

Other notable names, like Marco Rubio and David Sacks, declared a $0 salary from the office of the president, either forgoing their salary or receiving compensation from other branches of government.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

See the 34 people who get paid the most inside the White House, after the president himself.

Gary Barnett


The White House is visible from the South Lawn on October 3, 2026 in Washington, DC.



Gary Barnett previously worked at the US Federal Trade Commission as an attorney advisor.

Aaron Schwartz/Getty Images

Role: Senior policy advisor

Salary: $197,200

Scott Brady




Brady (center) is a former US Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Role: Executive director of the Anti-Fraud Task Force

Salary: $197,200

Lucas Croslow




Lucas Croslow previously served as general counsel for the Federal Trade Commission.

Finn Gomez/Getty Images

Role: Senior policy advisor

Salary: $197,200

Blake Deeley




Trump established the National Energy Dominance Council via executive order in February.

The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Role: Deputy executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council

Salary: $197,200

Harry Jung




Trump established the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets (also known as the White House Crypto Council) in 2025.

Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images

Role: Deputy director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Digital Assets

Salary: $197,200

Peter Lake




Peter Lake is the senior director of power at the National Energy Dominance Council.

Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Role: Senior advisor

Salary: $197,200

James “J.C.” Miller




J.C. Miller previously served as an administrator at the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.

USDA photo by Christophe Paul

Role: Senior policy advisor

Salary: $197,200

Joseph Simonson




Joseph Simonson previously served as the director of public affairs at the Federal Trade Commission.

Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Role: Senior policy advisor

Salary: $197,200

Nick Stewart




Nick Stewart (not pictured), who served in the State Department during Trump’s first term, is now a policy advisor on the White House team negotiating to end the war in Iran.

Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Role: Policy advisor

Salary: $197,200

Jarrod Agen




Jarrod Agen leads the White House National Energy Dominance Council.

Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit

Role: Executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council

Salary: $195,200

Brittany Baldwin




Baldwin served as a speechwriter during Trump’s first term.

Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

Role: Senior policy advisor

Salary: $195,200

Walker Barrett




Walker previously worked for the House Armed Services Committee.

Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Role: Assistant to the president for policy

Salary: $195,200

Meghan Bauer




Bauer serves as an assistant to the president and his Cabinet Secretary.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Role: Cabinet Secretary

Salary: $195,200

James Braid




Braid (right) left his role at the White House in early October.

Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Role: Director of legislative affairs

Salary: $195,200

Steven Cheung




Steven Cheung is Trump’s director of communications during his second term.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Role: Director of communications

Salary: $195,200

John Coale




In early October, Trump named Coale as his special presidential envoy ​for hostage affairs.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Role: Deputy assistant to the president and deputy special envoy to Ukraine

Salary: $195,200

Joshua Fisher




Joshua Fisher is the director of management and administration and director to the Office of Administration.

Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Role: Director of management and administration and director to the Office of Administration

Salary: $195,200

Shawn Flynn




Shawn Flynn serves as associate counsel for the White House.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Role: Associate counsel

Salary: $195,200

Vince Haley




Haley serves as the Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Role: Director of the Domestic Policy Council

Salary: $195,200

Hayley Harrison




Hayley Harrison (left) is Melania Trump’s Chief of Staff.

Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Role: Chief of staff to the first lady

Salary: $195,200

William ‘Beau’ Harrison




Harrison (right) worked as an aide in the first Trump administration, where he met his future wife, Hayley Harrison.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Role: Deputy chief of staff for operations

Salary: $195,200

Kevin Hassett




Hassett is the current director of the National Economic Council

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Role: Assistant to the president for economic policy and director of the National Economic Council

Salary: $195,200

Anne Hawkins




Hawkins previously served as general counsel and chief of strategy at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images

Role: Senior policy advisor

Salary: $195,200

Tom Homan




Tom Homan serves as Trump’s border czar and has led the president’s mass deportation efforts.

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Role: Border czar

Salary: $195,200

Karoline Leavitt




Leavitt left her role as White House press secretary in August.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Role: White House press secretary

Salary: $195,200

Stephen Miller




Stephen Miller serves as Trump’s Homeland Security Advisor.

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Role: Deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor

Salary: $195,200

Peter Navarro




Navarro serves as Trump’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Role: Senior counselor for trade and manufacturing

Salary: $195,200

Daniel Scavino




Scavino was appointed as Trump’s head of personnel last October.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Role: Deputy chief of staff director of the Office for Presidential Personnel

Salary: $195,200

Will Scharf




Scharf serves as the White House staff secretary under the second Trump administration.

Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP

Role: Staff secretary

Salary: $195,200

Courtney Stecker




Courtney Stecker previously served as senior advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Rose-Marie Henriksson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Role: Senior policy advisor

Salary: $195,200

David Warrington




David Warrington provides legal counsel to the president.

Handout/Getty Images

Role: Counsel to the president

Salary: $195,200

Susie Wiles




Susie Wiles is Trump’s chief of staff during his second term.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Role: Chief of staff

Salary: $195,200

Patrick Witt




The former football quarterback serves as Trump’s crypto advisor.

Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Chainlink Labs

Role: Executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Digital Assets

Salary: $195,200

Ross Worthington




Ross Worthington is Trump’s Director of Speechwriting.

PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images

Role: Director of speechwriting

Salary: $195,200

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