Omar Bennett
As of 2025, Donald J. Trump is serving as the 47th President of the United States, with JD Vance as his Vice President. The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, who manages the White House staff system. The Chief of Staff for Trump's second term is Susie Wiles, who has a large corner office adjacent to that of Vice President Vance.
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What You'll Learn
The role of the President of the United States
The President of the United States is the head of state, head of the government, and the commander in chief of the armed forces. The president is the only elected official who represents everyone in the country and is expected to be a unifying leader for the nation. The role comes with formal and informal powers that help the president carry out their duties.
The President of the United States serves a term of four years. During this time, they are responsible for making treaties and appointments within the federal government, with Senate approval. They are also required to report to Congress annually on the state of the union and may propose legislation and veto bills. The State of the Union address is an opportunity for the president to speak to the American people about forthcoming goals that Congress is urged to support through the budget and legislation.
The President's role has changed over time. In the early days of the republic, the presidency was a comparatively minor position, with a small number of federal government workers. Today, the President takes on a variety of roles, reflecting the increased powers and prestige of the office. As a legislative leader, the president is often the key figure in which bills are passed.
The President is also responsible for military activities and has increased powers to commit troops to conflicts with congressional approval, even without a formal declaration of war. As chief of state, the president performs functions such as receiving heads of state of other countries, traveling abroad as the nation’s leader, and symbolic duties such as honoring veterans. Diplomacy is an important aspect of the presidency, which often has domestic and international implications. The president has the authority to make agreements with other nations that Congress then ratifies, including trade agreements.
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The White House Chief of Staff
The role of White House Chief of Staff is a senior position in the US Government, responsible for managing the White House staff system and acting as a key adviser to the President. The role was formally created in 1953 under Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower, though the position's predecessors can be traced back to Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'Brain Trust' of advisers during the Great Depression. The average tenure for a White House Chief of Staff is just over 18 months.
The Chief of Staff is responsible for selecting senior White House staffers and supervising their activities. They are also involved in the President's scheduled appearances, often travelling to meetings and appearances to keep informed of topics and provide information. They are responsible for managing the flow of information to the President, monitoring the information provided by staff on policy issues, and involving other staff in the decision-making process.
The role is both managerial and advisory, requiring the Chief of Staff to understand the political landscape of the country in order to advise the President on policy. They must also be able to negotiate with Congress, the executive cabinet, and donors.
The Chief of Staff is typically responsible for creating a structure of reporting and decision-making for White House staff, which is largely based on the President's style of operation. They are often labelled as "strong" or "weak" based on the structure of the White House and their management style. A strong Chief of Staff, for example, requires all information intended for the President to go through them first.
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The President's senior advisers
The role of senior advisers is to provide expertise and advice to the President on a wide range of issues and subjects. They are often the coordinators and managers of the White House staff system, setting the tone and ensuring discipline. They act as gatekeepers, overseeing every person, document, and communication that goes to the President.
The current President, Donald J. Trump, has a number of senior advisers in his administration as of April 2025. These include:
- Susie Wiles, Assistant to the President and White House Chief of Staff
- Dan Scavino, Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Chief of Staff
- Stephen Miller, Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor
- May Mailman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Policy Strategist
- Kara Frederick, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Policy for National Security
- Emily Underwood, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Policy for Economic Affairs
- Clark Milner, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Policy for Domestic Policy
- James Blair, Assistant to the President and White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political, and Public Affairs
It is worth noting that the President's daughter, Ivanka Trump, was sometimes referred to as a 'Senior Advisor to the President' by unofficial sources, although her official title was 'Advisor to the President'.
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The President's Deputy Chief of Staff
The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The White House Chief of Staff is at the head of this office and 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. The staff are mostly political appointees of the president and can be dismissed at the president's discretion.
The role of the Chief of Staff is both managerial and advisory. They are responsible for creating a structure of reporting and decision-making for the White House staff. They are also involved in the president's scheduled appearances, travelling to meetings and appearances to keep informed and provide information. They also preview speeches and briefings to understand what attention may be attracted by the president's statements.
The Deputy Chief of Staff is a member of the White House staff and reports directly to the president. The role is ranked as Assistant to the President. The role of the Deputy Chief of Staff is to assist the Chief of Staff in their duties. As of April 2025, the Deputy Chief of Staff is Dan Scavino, with Stephen Miller as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor, and James Blair as Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative, Political and Public Affairs. Other roles include Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications, Personnel and Public Liaison and Cabinet Secretary, held by Taylor Budowich, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Implementation, held by Nicholas F. Luna.
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The President's Senior Policy Strategist
As of 20th January 2025, Donald Trump is the 47th President of the United States. The President is the head of state and head of government of the United States. They direct the executive branch of the federal government and are the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.
The Senior Policy Strategist is part of the White House Office, which is directed by staff chosen by the President. The White House Office was established in 1939 to provide assistance to the President in their immediate activities. The office is organised according to the wishes of the incumbent President.
The Senior Policy Strategist is one of the President's innermost layers of aides and assistants. They are responsible for ensuring the President's directives, such as presidential proclamations and executive orders, are carried out. The President's directives are subject to judicial review by federal courts and can be overturned by Congress through legislation.
The Senior Policy Strategist role is a powerful position, with the ability to influence the President's political appointments and policy decisions. They are part of the President's team of advisors, who have become increasingly important to the President's role over time.
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Frequently asked questions
Donald J. Trump
J.D. Vance
Melania Trump
Usha Vance
Susie Wiles
