Meanwhile, back at CNN…Russia…Russia…Russia!
The White House payroll is an excellent example of Trump’s commitment to shrink government and save taxpayers money. The White House released the report of Trump’s staffers’ salaries in a 16-page report on Friday, resulting in projected four-year savings of more than $22 million. Not only is President Trump refusing to take his $400,000 salary, but also eliminating czars (which Obama came under fire for hiring starting in 2009), expensive “fellowships”, and spending on FLOTUS staff.
Here are some key findings:
- Female staffers are paid more than the men.
- There are 110 fewer employees on White House staff under Trump than under Obama at this point in their respective presidencies.
- $5.1 million in payroll savings vs. the Obama FY2015 payroll. In 2017, the Trump payroll amounts to $35.8 million for 377 employees, while the Obama payroll amounted to $40.9 million for 476 employees (FY2015).
- Nineteen fewer staffers are dedicated to The First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS). Currently, there are five staffers dedicated to Melania Trump vs. 24 staffers who served Michelle Obama (FY2009).
- Counts of the “Assistants to the President” – the most trusted advisors to the president – are the same (22) in both first-year Trump and Obama administrations. In the Trump White House, Steven Bannon, Kellyanne Conway, Omarosa Manigault, Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer and 17 others make salaries of $179,700. In Obama’s first-year, David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, and twenty others held the title with top pay of $172,000.
- The highest compensated White House Trump staffer? Mark House, Senior Policy Advisor, has a salary of $187,500. Mr. House is “on detail” from a federal agency which allows him to exceed the top pay-grade of $179,700. In Obama’s Administration (2009), David Marcozzi earned $193,000 “on detail” from Health and Human Services.
Some special initiative czars that worked for President Obama include Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner ($172,000), Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois ($98,000), White House Director of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrion Jr ($158,500), and Director of the White House Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle ($158,500).
The reports also confirm only 5 staffers dedicated to First Lady Melania Trump, compared to Michelle Obama’s outrageous 24 staffers.
Trump also eliminated positions in the White House Leadership Development program which was instituted by President Obama in 2015. Positions included that of Elaine Ho at a salary of $158,700 who was in charge of working with the Office of the First Lady to implement her “Let Girls Learn” initiative. Two “Directors” whose positions were also eliminated from the payroll include Pamela Coleman ($120,000) and Katherine Pielemeier ($60,876).
Gary Cohn, president of Goldman Sachs and current Director of the White House National Economic Council, and Christopher Liddell, Director of Strategic Initiatives in the White House and a former Microsoft Chief Financial Officer, are serving with reduced salaries of $30,000.
President Trump donated his first quarter paycheck to the Dept. of Interior for construction and repair needs in military cemeteries. –Forbes
