White House Communications Director

Last updated

White House Communications Director
US-WhiteHouse-Logo.svg
Ben Labolt Bully Pulpit Portrait.webp
Incumbent
Ben LaBolt
since March 1, 2023
Executive Office of the President
White House Office
Reports to White House Chief of Staff
Appointer President of the United States
Formation1969 (White House Office)
1974 (White House Office of the Press Secretary)
First holder Herbert G. Klein

The White House communications director or White House director of communications, also known officially as Assistant to the President for Communications, is part of the senior staff of the president of the United States. The officeholder is responsible for developing and promoting the agenda of the president and leading its media campaign.

Contents

The director, along with their staff, works on major political speeches such as the inaugural address and the State of the Union Address. The communications director, who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the president, without the need for United States Senate confirmation, is usually given an office in the West Wing of the White House.

History

The White House Office of Communications was established by Herbert G. Klein in January 1969 during the Nixon administration. [1] [2] It was separate from the Office of the Press Secretary from 1969 to 1974. [3]

Key staff

List of directors

ImageNameStartEndDurationPresident
No image.svg Herb Klein [5] January 20, 1969July 1, 19734 years, 162 days Richard Nixon
No image.svg Ken Clawson January 30, 1974August 9, 1974191 days
August 9, 1974November 4, 197487 days Gerald Ford
No image.svg Jerry Warren [6] November 4, 1974August 15, 1975284 days
Margita White, Assistant Deputy Director of Communications in the White House.jpg Margita White [7] August 15, 1975July 12, 1976332 days
Portraits of Assistants to President Ronald Reagan (cropped7).jpg David Gergen [8] July 12, 1976January 20, 1977192 days
Gerald Rafshoon.tif Gerald Rafshoon July 1, 1978August 14, 19791 year, 44 days Jimmy Carter
No image.svg Frank Ursomarso [9] [10] February 23, 1981June 17, 1981114 days Ronald Reagan
Portraits of Assistants to President Ronald Reagan (cropped7).jpg David Gergen [11] June 17, 1981January 15, 19842 years, 212 days
Portraits of Assistants to President Ronald Reagan (cropped2).jpg Michael McManus [6] January 15, 1984February 6, 19851 year, 22 days
Pat Buchanan 1985a (1).jpg Pat Buchanan February 6, 1985March 1, 19872 years, 23 days
No image.svg Jack Koehler [12] March 1, 1987March 13, 198711 days
Tom Griscom 1987.jpg Tom Griscom April 2, 1987July 1, 19881 year, 90 days
Mari Maseng 1988.jpg Mari Maseng Will July 1, 1988January 20, 1989203 days
No image.svg David Demarest January 20, 1989August 23, 19923 years, 216 days George H. W. Bush
Tutwilermd 175.jpg Margaret Tutwiler [13] August 23, 1992January 20, 1993150 days
George Stephanopoulos cropped.jpg George Stephanopoulos January 20, 1993June 7, 1993138 days Bill Clinton
Mark Gearan NCMNPS.jpg Mark Gearan [14] June 7, 1993August 14, 19952 years, 68 days
No image.svg Don Baer August 14, 1995July 31, 19971 year, 351 days
Ann Lewis (138) (13315485475).jpg Ann Lewis July 31, 1997March 10, 19991 year, 222 days
No image.svg Loretta Ucelli March 10, 1999January 20, 20011 year, 316 days
KarenHughes.jpg Karen Hughes January 20, 2001October 2, 2001255 days George W. Bush
Daniel Joseph Bartlett.jpg Dan Bartlett [15] October 2, 2001January 5, 20053 years, 95 days
Nicolle Wallace (cropped).jpg Nicolle Wallace January 5, 2005July 24, 20061 year, 200 days
Kevin Sullivan (18578730486) (cropped).jpg Kevin Sullivan July 24, 2006January 20, 20092 years, 180 days
No image.svg Ellen Moran January 20, 2009April 21, 200991 days Barack Obama
Anita Dunn.jpg Anita Dunn
Acting		April 21, 2009November 30, 2009223 days
Daniel Pfeiffer.jpg Dan Pfeiffer November 30, 2009January 25, 20133 years, 56 days
Jennifer Palmieri, Aug. 2013 (cropped).jpg Jen Palmieri January 25, 2013April 1, 20152 years, 66 days
Jen Psaki April 1 2015 (cropped).jpg Jen Psaki April 1, 2015January 20, 20171 year, 294 days
Press secretary Sean Spicer (cropped).jpg Sean Spicer
Acting		January 20, 2017March 6, 201745 days Donald Trump
Michael D. Dubke.jpg Michael Dubke [16] [17] March 6, 2017June 2, 201788 days
Press secretary Sean Spicer (cropped).jpg Sean Spicer
Acting [17] [18] 		June 2, 2017 [19] [20] July 21, 2017 [21] 49 days
Anthony Scaramucci at SALT Conference 2016 (cropped).jpg Anthony Scaramucci [22] July 21, 2017 [23] July 31, 2017 [24] [25] 11 days
Hope Hicks November 2017.jpg Hope Hicks [26] [27] August 16, 2017
Acting: August 16 – September 12, 2017		March 29, 2018 [28] 225 days
Bill Shine (cropped).jpg Bill Shine [29] July 5, 2018March 8, 2019246 days
Stephanie Grisham.jpg Stephanie Grisham [30] July 1, 2019April 7, 2020281 days
Kate Bedingfield (The Circus on SHOWTIME).jpg Kate Bedingfield [31] [32] January 20, 2021March 1, 20232 years, 40 days Joe Biden
Ben Labolt Bully Pulpit Portrait.webp Ben LaBolt [11] March 1, 2023Present1 year, 261 days

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States National Security Council</span> U.S. federal executive national security and intelligence forum

The United States National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the president of the United States for consideration of national security, military, and foreign policy matters. Based in the White House, it is part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and composed of senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Executive Office of the President of the United States</span> U.S. government executive agency

The Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP) comprises the offices and agencies that support the work of the president at the center of the executive branch of the United States federal government. The office consists of several offices and agencies, such as the White House Office, the National Security Council, Homeland Security Council, Office of Management and Budget, Council of Economic Advisers, and others. The Eisenhower Executive Office Building houses most staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Counselor to the President</span> American political position

Counselor to the President is a title used by high-ranking political advisors to the president of the United States and senior members of the White House Office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evelyn S. Lieberman</span> American public affairs professional

Evelyn May Lieberman was an American public affairs professional who, during the Clinton administration, became the first woman to serve as White House Deputy Chief of Staff, and was the first United States Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White House Office</span> Part of the Executive Office of the President of the U.S.

The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). The White House Office is headed by the White House chief of staff, who is also the head of the Executive Office of the President. The staff work for and report directly to the president, including West Wing staff and the president's senior advisers. Almost all of the White House Office staff are political appointees of the president, do not require Senate confirmation and can be dismissed at the discretion of the president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White House Office of Public Engagement</span> Unit of the U.S. White House Office

The White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE) is a unit of the White House Office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. Under the administration of President Barack Obama, it combined oversight of OPE and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) under the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPE-IGA). President Donald Trump restored the prior name of the Office of Public Liaison (OPL) and re-separated IGA. President Joe Biden changed the name back to OPE but kept IGA separate in his administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senior Advisor to the President of the United States</span>

Senior Advisor to the President is a title used by high-ranking political advisors to the president of the United States. White House senior advisors are senior members of the White House Office. The title has been formally used since 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White House Office of the Staff Secretary</span> Unit within the U.S. presidents office

The Staff Secretary is a position in the White House Office responsible for managing paper flow to the President and circulating documents among senior staff for comment. It has been referred to as "the nerve center of the White House." Specifically, the Office of the Staff Secretary decides which decision memos, briefing materials, lists of potential nominees, briefing books, intelligence reports, schedules, correspondence, and speech drafts end up on the president’s desk, as well as how and when the president will receive them. The Staff Secretary also works with senior White House staff to edit all of these materials and ensure they are ready for the president's consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Scaramucci</span> American financier and political figure (born 1964)

Anthony Scaramucci is an American financier who briefly served as the White House Director of Communications from July 21 to July 31, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Earnest</span> Former White House Press Secretary

Joshua Ryan Henry Earnest is an American political advisor who served as White House press secretary under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017. He was Obama's third Press Secretary and the 29th to hold the position. He succeeded Jay Carney as Obama's press secretary, in 2014, and was succeeded by President Donald Trump's first presidential press secretary, Sean Spicer. He is Executive Vice President of Communications and Advertising for United Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hope Hicks</span> American public relations executive and political advisor (born 1988)

Hope Charlotte Hicks is an American public relations executive and political advisor who served in President Donald Trump’s administration from 2017 to 2018 and 2020 to 2021. She served as White House director of strategic communications from January to September 2017, as White House communications director from 2017 to 2018, and returned to serve as a counselor to the president from 2020 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Spicer</span> American political aide (born 1971)

Sean Michael Spicer is an American former political aide who served as the 30th White House Press Secretary and as White House Communications Director under President Donald Trump in 2017. Spicer was communications director of the Republican National Committee from 2011 to 2017, and its chief strategist from 2015 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Huckabee Sanders</span> Governor of Arkansas since 2023

Sarah Elizabeth Huckabee Sanders is an American politician serving since 2023 as the 47th governor of Arkansas. Sanders is the daughter of Mike Huckabee, who served from 1996 to 2007 as Arkansas's 44th governor. A member of the Republican Party, she was the 31st White House press secretary, serving under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2019. Sanders was the third woman to be White House press secretary. She also served as a senior advisor on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Sanders became the Republican nominee in the 2022 Arkansas gubernatorial election and won, defeating Democratic nominee Chris Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Sifakis</span> American businessman and politician

George Anthony Sifakis is a former United States federal government official and government relations professional. Sifakis is currently the CEO of IdeagenGlobal.com which convenes global leaders to develop partnerships and solutions to the world's most troubling issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs</span> Unit within the U.S. presidents office

The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) is a unit of the White House Office, within the Executive Office of the President. It serves as the primary liaison between the White House and state, county (or county-equivalent), local, and tribal governments. The office focuses on building new and maintaining current relationships with governors, tribal leaders, mayors, state legislators, and county executives. The Office of Intergovernmental Affairs works with federal agencies and departments to ensure appropriate coordination between state, local, and tribal governments and the federal government. The Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House Office for the Biden administration was Julie Chavez Rodriguez until she resigned on May 16, 2023 to become Biden's Campaign Manager for his 2024 reelection bid. Tom Perez became Director on June 12, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Goldstein (diplomat)</span> American diplomat & government official (born 1952)

Irwin Steven Goldstein is a former American diplomat, government official, and businessman who served as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the United States Department of State during Secretary Rex Tillerson's tenure in the first Trump Administration. He was also Assistant to the Secretary and Director of Public Affairs at the United States Department of the Interior under Manuel Lujan Jr. during the Presidency of George H. W. Bush.

The core White House staff appointments, and most Executive Office of the President officials generally, are not required to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, with a handful of exceptions. There are about 4,000 positions in the Executive Office of the President.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presidential transition of George H. W. Bush</span>

The presidential transition of George H. W. Bush began when then-Vice President Bush won the United States 1988 United States presidential election, becoming the president-elect, and ended when Bush was inaugurated on January 20, 1989.

References

  1. ↑ "White House Unit Takes on New Life", The Washington Post , November 26, 1973, p. 9.
  2. ↑ Judiciary, United States Congress House Committee on the (1973). Impeachment: Selected Materials. Government Printing Office. ISBN   9780160577031.
  3. ↑ "Press Operations in White House Revised, With Politics Ruled Out", The New York Times , August 17, 1974, p. 15.
  4. ↑ Monica Alba (August 16, 2024). "White House plans staff moves as aides switch to Harris campaign". NBC News.
  5. ↑ "Richard Nixon: Letter Accepting the Resignation of Herbert G. Klein as Director of Communications for the Executive Branch". presidency.ucsb.edu.
  6. 1 2 Kumar, Martha Joynt (July 6, 2007). Managing the President's Message: The White House Communications Operation. JHU Press. ISBN   9780801886522 – via Google Books.
  7. ↑ Shabecoff, Philip (July 13, 1976). "Ford Shifts and Expands Press Staff". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
  8. ↑ "Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum". fordlibrarymuseum.gov.
  9. ↑ "URSOMARSO, FRANK: Files, 1981 (3.1 l.ft.; Box 1-8)" (PDF).
  10. ↑ "Ronald Reagan: Appointment of Frank A. Ursomarso as Director of the White House Office of Communications". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017.
  11. 1 2 "Key Reagan Administration Officials". reagan.utexas.edu. Archived from the original on March 4, 2005.
  12. ↑ "Letter Accepting the Resignation of John O. Koehler as Assistant to the President and Director of Communications". reaganlibrary.archives.gov. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016.
  13. ↑ Appointment of Margaret DeBardeleben Tutwiler as Assistant to the President for Communications, gpo.gov.
  14. ↑ "William J. Clinton: Press Briefing by David Gergen and Mark Gearan". presidency.ucsb.edu.
  15. ↑ "George W. Bush: Statement by the Press Secretary: Bartlett Named White House Communications Director". presidency.ucsb.edu.
  16. ↑ "President Donald J. Trump Announces White House Staff Appointments", whitehouse.gov, March 6, 2017.
  17. 1 2 "Mysterious disappearance of Donald Trump's mouthpiece Sean Spicer". The New Zealand Herald . June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  18. ↑ The White House (July 21, 2017), Press Briefing with Principal Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, archived from the original on December 21, 2021, retrieved July 21, 2017
  19. ↑ Herman, Steve (July 21, 2017). "Shakeup Puts Different Face on White House Communications". VOA. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Mysterious disappearance of Donald Trump's mouthpiece Sean Spicer". NZ Herald. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  21. ↑ Shen, Lucinda (July 21, 2017). "Anthony Scaramucci Thinks the White House Is About to Have a 'Phenomenal Relationship' With the Press". Fortune. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  22. ↑ Shear, Michael D.; Thrush, Glenn; Haberman, Maggie (July 31, 2017). "John Kelly, Asserting Authority, Fires Anthony Scaramucci". The New York Times . Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  23. ↑ Santos, Amanda Proença (July 31, 2017). "Scaramucci Sets New Record for Shortest Term as Communications Director". NBC News . Retrieved August 14, 2017. Though President Donald Trump appointed Scaramucci to the role 10 days ago, he only held the position for six days thanks to an official start date of July 25.
  24. ↑ "White House Holds Press Briefing after Anthony Scaramucci Resigns as Communications Director". Time . July 31, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Anthony Scaramucci: Five top tips to lose a job in 10 days". BBC News. August 1, 2017. Anthony Scaramucci had not yet made it to his official start date before he was fired
  26. ↑ "Hope Hicks tapped for interim White House communications director". Fox News. August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  27. ↑ Ballhaus, Rebecca (September 12, 2017). "Hope Hicks Named Permanent White House Communications Director". The Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  28. ↑ Rogers, Katie; Haberman, Maggie (March 29, 2018). "Hope Hicks is Gone, and It's Not Clear Who Can Replace Her". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Ex-Fox News exec Bill Shine to join White House". The Hill. July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  30. ↑ Wise, Alana (April 7, 2020). "White House Press Secretary Grisham Moves Back To First Lady's Office". NPR. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Kate Bedingfield, White House Communications Director". President-Elect Joe Biden. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Kate Bedingfield to Depart the White House after over 3 Years Leading the President's Communications Operation". July 6, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.