White House Chief of Staff facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids White House Chief of Staff

Incumbent Susie Wiles since January 20, 2025
Executive Office of the President White House Office
Reports to	President of the United States
Appointer	President of the United States
Formation	1946 (Assistant to the President) 1961 (White House Chief of Staff)
First holder	John R. Steelman

President Joe Biden walks with Chief of Staff Ron Klain along the Colonnade of the White House.

Chief of Staff Jack Watson (1980–1981) meets with President Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office.

President George H. W. Bush sits at his desk in the Oval Office Study as Chief of Staff John Sununu stands nearby.

Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks into the Oval Office as President Donald J. Trump reads over his notes.

President Barack Obama meets with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in the Oval Office.

The White House Chief of Staff is a very important job in the United States government. This person is like the main manager for the Executive Office of the President of the United States. Think of them as the President's top helper and adviser.

The President chooses the Chief of Staff. This choice does not need approval from the United States Senate. The Chief of Staff serves as long as the President wants them to. Every President since Harry S. Truman has had a Chief of Staff.

For the second term of Donald Trump, the Chief of Staff is Susie Wiles. She started on January 20, 2025. This role is seen as one of the most powerful jobs in the White House. This is because the Chief of Staff works closely with the President every day. They also manage the entire Executive Office of the President.

How the Chief of Staff Role Started
What Does a Chief of Staff Do?
List of White House Chiefs of Staff
See also

How the Chief of Staff Role Started

Originally, the President had a "private secretary." This person did many of the jobs the Chief of Staff does today. These secretaries were close friends and advisers to Presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt. They handled both personal and work tasks. These jobs needed great skill and careful handling of secrets. Another person, the appointments secretary, managed the President's schedule.

Building the Modern White House Staff

From 1933 to 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt needed more help. The government was growing a lot because of the Great Depression. He relied on a group of top advisers. These advisers often worked for other government agencies. This was because the White House didn't have the money to hire many staff members directly.

In 1939, President Roosevelt convinced Congress to create the Executive Office of the President. This office would work directly for the President. During World War II, Roosevelt also created a "Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief" for his main military adviser.

The Role Becomes Official

In 1946, the job of "Assistant to the President of the United States" was created. This was because the government's executive branch was getting much bigger. This position was the first step toward the modern Chief of Staff role.

In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower officially named his main assistant the "White House Chief of Staff." Over time, this title became shared with other senior advisers. These included the White House counsel and the White House press secretary.

At first, not all Presidents used this new system. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson still relied on their appointments secretaries. But by the time of President Richard Nixon, the Chief of Staff started managing the President's schedule. This gave the Chief of Staff a lot of power.

President Jimmy Carter even promised not to have a Chief of Staff when he ran for President in 1976. For the first two and a half years of his presidency, he did not have one.

How Long Do Chiefs of Staff Serve?

On average, a White House Chief of Staff serves for about 18 months. Some have served longer. John R. Steelman was President Truman's only Chief of Staff. Kenneth O'Donnell served for all of President Kennedy's time in office. Andrew Card and Denis McDonough each served for an entire presidential term under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

What Does a Chief of Staff Do?

A Chief of Staff has many important jobs. They manage the White House staff and advise the President. Chris Whipple, who wrote a book about Chiefs of Staff, explains it well. He says their job is to do the "grunt work" that leads to big successes for the President.

Here are some of their main duties:

Choosing Staff: They help pick the most important White House staff members. They also watch over what these offices do.
Managing the White House: They help design how the White House staff works together.
Controlling Access: They control who gets to meet with the President in the Oval Office.
Managing Information: They manage the information that goes to the President. They also help with decisions made at the Resolute desk.
Developing Policies: They guide and watch over how new government policies are created.
Protecting the President: They work to protect the President's political interests.
Working with Congress: They talk with leaders in Congress and other groups. This helps the President's plans become law.
Advising the President: They give advice to the President on many different topics.

Sometimes, the Chief of Staff even fires senior staff members. For example, when Omarosa Manigault Newman was fired, Chief of Staff John Kelly told her his decision was final. He said that all staff members work for him, not directly for the President.

Richard Nixon's first Chief of Staff, H. R. Haldeman, was known for being very strict. He was a tough "gatekeeper." He would often meet with officials instead of the President. Then, he would tell Nixon what they discussed.

List of White House Chiefs of Staff

Here is a list of the people who have served as White House Chief of Staff:

Name	Start	End	Duration
Steelman, JohnJohn Steelman	December 12, 1946	January 20, 1953	6 years, 39 days	Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman (1945–1953)
Adams, ShermanSherman Adams	January 20, 1953	October 7, 1958	5 years, 260 days	Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
Persons, WiltonWilton Persons	October 7, 1958	January 20, 1961	2 years, 105 days	Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953–1961)
O'Donnell, KennethKenneth O'Donnell De facto	January 20, 1961	November 22, 1963	2 years, 306 days	Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy (1961–1963)
Jenkins, WalterWalter Jenkins De facto	November 22, 1963	October 14, 1964	327 days	Johnson, Lyndon B.Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969)
Moyers, BillBill Moyers De facto	October 14, 1964	July 8, 1965	267 days
Valenti, JackJack Valenti De facto	July 8, 1965	June 1, 1966	328 days
Watson, MarvinMarvin Watson De facto	June 1, 1966	April 26, 1968	1 year, 330 days
Jones, JamesJames Jones De facto	April 26, 1968	January 20, 1969	269 days
Haldeman, BobBob Haldeman	January 20, 1969	April 30, 1973	4 years, 100 days	Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon (1969–1974)
Vacant	April 30, 1973	May 4, 1973	4 days
Haig, AlAl Haig	May 4, 1973	September 21, 1974	1 year, 140 days
Haig, AlAl Haig	May 4, 1973	September 21, 1974	1 year, 140 days	Ford, GeraldGerald Ford (1974–1977)
Rumsfeld, DonaldDonald Rumsfeld	September 21, 1974	November 20, 1975	1 year, 60 days
Cheney, DickDick Cheney	November 20, 1975	January 20, 1977	1 year, 61 days
Vacant	January 20, 1977	July 18, 1979	2 years, 179 days	Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter (1977–1981)
Jordan, HamHam Jordan	July 18, 1979	June 11, 1980	329 days
Watson, JackJack Watson	June 11, 1980	January 20, 1981	223 days
Baker, JamesJames Baker	January 20, 1981	February 4, 1985	4 years, 15 days	Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan (1981–1989)
Regan, DonDon Regan	February 4, 1985	February 27, 1987	2 years, 23 days
Baker, HowardHoward Baker	February 27, 1987	July 1, 1988	1 year, 125 days
Duberstein, KenKen Duberstein	July 1, 1988	January 20, 1989	203 days
Sununu, JohnJohn Sununu	January 20, 1989	December 16, 1991	2 years, 330 days	Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
Skinner, SamuelSamuel Skinner	December 16, 1991	August 23, 1992	251 days
Baker, JamesJames Baker	August 23, 1992	January 20, 1993	150 days
McLarty, MackMack McLarty	January 20, 1993	July 17, 1994	1 year, 178 days	Clinton, BillBill Clinton (1993–2001)
Panetta, LeonLeon Panetta	July 17, 1994	January 20, 1997	2 years, 187 days
Bowles, ErskineErskine Bowles	January 20, 1997	October 20, 1998	1 year, 273 days
Podesta, JohnJohn Podesta	October 20, 1998	January 20, 2001	2 years, 92 days
Card, AndyAndy Card	January 20, 2001	April 14, 2006	5 years, 84 days	Bush, George W.George W. Bush (2001–2009)
Bolten, JoshJosh Bolten	April 14, 2006	January 20, 2009	2 years, 281 days	Bush, George W.George W. Bush (2001–2009)
Emanuel, RahmRahm Emanuel	January 20, 2009	October 1, 2010	1 year, 254 days	Obama, BarackBarack Obama (2009–2017)
Rouse, PetePete Rouse Acting	October 1, 2010	January 13, 2011	104 days
Daley, BillBill Daley	January 13, 2011	January 27, 2012	1 year, 14 days
Lew, JackJack Lew	January 27, 2012	January 20, 2013	359 days
McDonough, DenisDenis McDonough	January 20, 2013	January 20, 2017	4 years, 0 days
Priebus, ReinceReince Priebus	January 20, 2017	July 31, 2017	192 days	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (2017–2021)
Kelly, JohnJohn Kelly	July 31, 2017	January 2, 2019	1 year, 155 days
Mulvaney, MickMick Mulvaney Acting	January 2, 2019	March 31, 2020	1 year, 89 days
Meadows, MarkMark Meadows	March 31, 2020	January 20, 2021	295 days
Klain, RonRon Klain	January 20, 2021	February 7, 2023	2 years, 18 days	Biden, JoeJoe Biden (2021–2025)
Zients, JeffJeff Zients	February 8, 2023	January 20, 2025	1 year, 347 days	Biden, JoeJoe Biden (2021–2025)
Wiles, SusieSusie Wiles	January 20, 2025	Incumbent	157 days	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump (2025–present)