White House Director of Speechwriting

Last updated
White House Director of Speechwriting
The White House logo under Trump 2.0.jpg
Incumbent
Ross Worthington
since January 20, 2025
Executive Office of the President
White House Office
Appointer President of the United States

The White House Director of Speechwriting is a role within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The officeholder serves as senior advisor and chief speechwriter to the president of the United States. They are also responsible for managing the Office of Speechwriting within the Office of Communications. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

List

ImageNameStartEndPresident
No image.svg Stephen Harmelin [6] 19641965 Lyndon Johnson
(1963–1969)
McPherson DLA Piper.jpg Harry McPherson October 26, 1967January 20, 1969
No image.svg Jim Keogh [7] [8] January 20, 1969December 31, 1970 Richard Nixon
(1969–1974)
No image.svg Ray Price [9] [10] [11] December 31, 1970February 6, 1973
Portraits of Assistants to President Ronald Reagan (cropped7).jpg David Gergen [12] [13] [14] February 6, 1973August 9, 1974
Robert T. Hartmann.png Bob Hartmann [15] August 9, 1974January 20, 1977 Gerald Ford
(1974–1977)
James Fallows - NARA - 178392.tif Jim Fallows [16] January 20, 1977November 24, 1978 Jimmy Carter
(1977–1981)
Bernard Aronson in 2016.jpg Bernie Aronson [16] November 24, 1978January 20, 1981
Ken Khachigian (cropped).jpg Ken Khachigian
(Chief Speechwriter) [17]
January 20, 1981May 3, 1981 Ronald Reagan
(1981–1989)
President Ronald Reagan with Tony Dolan (cropped).jpg Tony Dolan
(Chief Speechwriter) [18]
May 3, 1981
Acting: May 3, 1981 – November 17, 1981
January 20, 1989
Aram Bakshian 1981.jpg Aram Bakshian
(Director) [19]
November 17, 1981October 19, 1983
No image.svg Ben Elliott
(Director) [20] [21]
October 19, 1983June 6, 1986
No image.svg Chriss Winston January 20, 1989February 19, 1991 George H. W. Bush
(1989–1993)
Tony Snow -- White House.jpg Tony Snow [22] [23] February 19, 1991January 20, 1993
No image.svg David Kusnet [24] January 20, 1993March 9, 1994 Bill Clinton
(1993–2001)
No image.svg Don Baer [25] March 9, 1994August 14, 1995
No image.svg Michael Waldman [26] December 22, 1995August 9, 1999
No image.svg Terry Edmonds [27] August 9, 1999January 20, 2001
Michael Gerson.jpg Mike Gerson [28] January 20, 2001June 14, 2006 George W. Bush
(2001–2009)
William McGurn 1.jpg Bill McGurn [29] June 14, 2006December 14, 2007
Marc Thiessen in 2007.jpg Marc Thiessen December 14, 2007January 20, 2009
Jon Favreau (Crooked Media) @ SXSW 2017 (33547023995) (cropped).jpg Jon Favreau January 20, 2009March 1, 2013 Barack Obama
(2009–2017)
Cody Keenan.jpg Cody Keenan March 1, 2013January 20, 2017
Stephen miller june 2016 cropped corrected.jpg Stephen Miller January 20, 2017January 20, 2021 Donald Trump
(2017–2021)
Vinay Reddy, EOP.png Vinay Reddy January 20, 2021January 20, 2025 Joe Biden
(2021–2025)
No image.svg [[ {{{last}}}]]January 20, 2025Incumbent Donald Trump
(2025–present)

References

  1. "Department Descriptions". Clinton Presidential Center . Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  2. "What They Learned in the White House: A Conversation with the Chief Speechwriters for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama". Ragan Training. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  3. Clay, Anna Katherine (May 23, 2019). "Translating Presidential Ideas into Words: Speechwriters in the White House". Miller Center of Public Affairs . Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. "Office of Speechwriting". Clinton Presidential Center . Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  5. Rogers, Katie (February 3, 2020). "The State of the Union Is Trump's Biggest Speech. Who Writes It?". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  6. Bell, Susan. "This Just In: Alumna Reports from Global Hotspots". University of Southern California . Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  7. "James Keogh, 89; Nixon Speechwriter, Former Time Editor". The Los Angeles Times . May 15, 2006. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  8. Nizon, Richard (December 16, 1970). "Letter to James Keogh Accepting His Resignation as Special Assistant to the President". University of California, Santa Barbara . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  9. Martin, Douglas (February 14, 2019). "Raymond K. Price Jr., 88, a Key Nixon Speechwriter, Is Dead". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  10. "4 on Writing Staff Promoted by Nixon". The New York Times . February 6, 1973. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  11. "President Appoints MacGregor Congressional Affairs Counsel". The New York Times . December 2, 1970. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  12. "David R. Gergen Files, 1974–77". Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  13. "David R. Gergen (White House Special Files: Staff Member and Office Files)". Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  14. Kelly, Michael (October 31, 1993). "David Gergen, Master of the Game". The New York Times . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  15. "Interviews: All". National Archives and Records Administration. October 25, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  16. 1 2 "White House Appoints New Chief Speechwriter". The New York Times . November 25, 1978. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  17. "Khachigian, Kenneth L.: Files, 1981" (PDF). Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. 1981. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  18. "Appointment of Anthony R. Dolan as Special Assistant to the President and Chief Speechwriter". University of California, Santa Barbara. November 17, 1981. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  19. "Nominations & Appointments, November 17, 1981". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. November 17, 1991. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  20. "Appointment of Bently T. Elliott as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting". University of California, Santa Barbara. October 19, 1983. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  21. "Reagan's Speechwriter Says He Was Dismissed in Dispute". The New York Times . June 10, 1986. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  22. "Appointment of Robert A. Snow as Deputy Assistant to the President for Communications and Director of Speechwriting". George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. February 19, 1991. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  23. "Appointment of Robert Anthony Snow as Deputy Assistant to the President for Media Affairs". George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. January 20, 1992. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  24. "David Kusnet". The American Prospect . Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  25. "Appointment of Deputy Assistant to the President for Speechwriting and Research". University of California, Santa Barbara. March 9, 1994. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  26. "Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)". Government Publishing Office. December 22, 1995. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  27. Harris, John F. (August 9, 1999). "Cheryl Mills Rejects Clinton Offer to Become White House Counsel". The New York Times . Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  28. Burkeman, Oliver (June 15, 2006). "Bush Speechwriter Resigns". The Guardian . Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  29. "Statement on the Resignation of William McGurn and the Appointment of Marc Thiessen as Assistant to the President for Speechwriting". University of California, Santa Barbara. December 14, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2021.