When the White House released its July 2026 salary report to Congress, it offered a rare look at how much the president’s closest aides earn. The figures show that the top of the White House pay scale sits at $197,200 — a sum that is far above the average American income but well below what many senior professionals command in the private sector. The report, which the White House Office is legally required to submit, covers everyone from senior advisors to press assistants and provides the clearest of White House salaries in the current administration.
The $197,200 Ceiling
At the very top of the list, a group of staffers each earn the maximum salary of $197,200. Their titles span policy, legal affairs, and special initiatives. Gary Barnett serves as a senior policy advisor, as do Lucas Croslow, James “J.C.” Miller, Joseph Simonson, and Brittany Baldwin, who earns slightly less at $195,200. Scott Brady is listed as executive director of the Anti-Fraud Task Force, while Blake Deeley is deputy executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council.
Other top earners include Harry Jung, deputy director of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, and Peter Lake, a senior advisor. Nick Stewart works as a policy advisor on the White House team negotiating to end the war in Iran. Each of these roles carries the same $197,200 salary, a figure that places them at the peak of the White House pay structure but still short of the top 1% threshold in neighboring Maryland and Virginia, where earners bring in $677,543 and $701,792 respectively.
Senior Roles Just Below the Top
A larger cluster of officials earns $195,200, a difference of just $2,000 from the highest tier. This group includes some of the most visible figures in the administration. Karoline Leavitt held the role of White House press secretary at the time of the report, though she left that position in August. Stephen Miller was listed as deputy chief of staff for policy and Homeland Security advisor before his promotion to chief of staff following Susie Wiles’ departure on November 6.
Susie Wiles herself appears in the report as chief of staff with a salary of $195,200. Other notable names in this bracket include Tom Homan, the border czar; Peter Navarro, senior counselor for trade and manufacturing; Kevin Hassett, assistant to the president for economic policy and director of the National Economic Council; and David Warrington, counsel to the president. Communications director Steven Cheung, staff secretary Will Scharf, and director of speechwriting Ross Worthington also earn $195,200.
Policy, Legal, and Administrative Staff
The report lists a broad array of roles that keep the White House running. Meghan Bauer serves as Cabinet Secretary and assistant to the president. William “Beau” Harrison is deputy chief of staff for operations, while Daniel Scavino holds the title of deputy chief of staff and director of the Office for Presidential Personnel. Hayley Harrison is chief of staff to the first lady. Joshua Fisher directs management and administration as well as the Office of Administration.
On the policy side, Vince Haley directs the Domestic Policy Council. Walker Barrett is assistant to the president for policy. Anne Hawkins, Courtney Stecker, and Jarrod Agen also appear among the higher earners, with Agen serving as executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council at $195,200. Legal counsel includes Shawn Flynn as associate counsel and John Coale as deputy assistant to the president and deputy special envoy to Ukraine, a role that has since evolved into an appointment as special envoy to Belarus.
Notable $0 Salaries
Not everyone on the White House payroll draws a salary from the office of the president. The report notes that Marco Rubio and David Sacks each declared a $0 salary, either forgoing compensation or receiving it from another branch of government. This arrangement is not unprecedented, but it stands out against the otherwise uniform pay bands that define most White House roles.
How White House Pay Compares
The president’s own salary is set at $400,000, though some independently wealthy presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Herbert Hoover, and Donald Trump, have chosen to donate it. For everyone else, the White House pay scale is more modest. The average American earned $72,800 in 2025 according to the Social Security Administration, meaning even the lowest-paid White House staffers likely earn well above the national median. Yet government salaries often lag behind private-sector equivalents, a trade-off that comes with public service.
At the lower end of the report, research assistants and press assistants earn less than the senior advisors and legal counsel who dominate the top of the list. The spread reflects a hierarchy that rewards experience and responsibility, but it also shows that working in the White House is not a path to extraordinary wealth. For the highest-paid staffers, the $197,200 salary represents the ceiling of what public service in the president’s office can offer.
Leadership Changes Since the Report
Several of the names in the July 2026 report have since moved on or taken on new roles. Susie Wiles left her position as chief of staff on November 6, and Trump announced Stephen Miller as her replacement, describing him as one of his most trusted advisors. Miller was set to start on November 9. Karoline Leavitt departed as press secretary in August and was briefly replaced by Katie Zacharia, with no permanent replacement yet announced. James Braid left his role as director of legislative affairs in early October and was succeeded by Katie Bailey.
These changes mean the salary report captures a snapshot in time rather than the current lineup. Still, it remains the most detailed public accounting of what the people around the president are paid, and it underscores a simple reality: White House salaries are comfortable, competitive by government standards, but rarely comparable to the private sector.
