Counselor to the President
Incumbent
Steve Ricchetti
since January 20, 2021
Executive Office of the President
White House Office
AppointerJoe Biden
as President of the United States
FormationJanuary 20, 1969 (1969-01-20)
First holderArthur F. Burns
WebsiteThe White House

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.

The current officeholder is Steve Ricchetti. The position should not be confused with the office of White House counsel, who is the chief legal advisor to the president and the White House, which is also an appointed position.

History

The position was created during the administration of Richard Nixon, where it was assigned Cabinet rank. It remained a Cabinet-level position until 1993.[1]

During Nixon's presidency, eight people held the position, with there sometimes being two or three concurrent incumbents.

During the presidency of Gerald Ford, the post was shared by longtime communications advisor Robert T. Hartmann and national security aide John O. Marsh, with former United States secretary of commerce Rogers Morton briefly joining them as a domestic policy advisor in early 1976.

The position was vacant during the Jimmy Carter administration, as Carter initially left many senior White House positions unfilled (such as White House chief of staff) and preferred a smaller corps of advisors.[2]

Edwin Meese held the position during the first term of President Ronald Reagan, and was highly influential inside the White House. Meese, Chief of Staff James Baker and Deputy Chief of Staff Michael Deaver were nicknamed "the troika" and considered the most influential advisors to the president.[3] Meese became United States attorney general during Reagan's second term as president and the position was left vacant.

The position was left vacant in the first three years of President George H. W. Bush's term. In 1992, it was filled by Clayton Yeutter following his resignation as chairman of the Republican National Committee.

During the Bill Clinton administration, the post became much more focused on communications. Two of Clinton's counselors, David Gergen and Paul Begala, later became CNN political analysts.

During the administration of George W. Bush, the position oversaw the communications, media affairs, speechwriting, and press offices.[4]

Under the Obama administration, the position was initially abolished and the duties of the office transferred to three senior advisors: David Axelrod,[5][6] Pete Rouse,[6][7] and Valerie Jarrett,[8] who also held the title Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison.[6] On January 6, 2011, President Obama appointed Rouse as counselor to the president where he was responsible for assisting the president and chief of staff with the day-to-day management of White House staff operations.[9][10] John Podesta was the last person to hold the position before he left to join the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign of 2016 as chairman.[11]

Soon after the 2016 election, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to name his campaign manager during the general election, Kellyanne Conway, to the position[12] and his campaign CEO Steve Bannon as a senior counselor and chief strategist.[13] With equivalent standing to the chief of staff and a portfolio that hewed closely to the pre-Clinton iteration of the position, Bannon was named to the Principals Committee of the National Security Council in a January 2017 executive order that also removed the director of national intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from the committee.[14] Following vociferous public opposition to the decision, Trump removed Bannon from the council in April 2017.[15]

After Bannon's departure from the White House in August 2017, Johnny DeStefano was appointed to the job[16] in February 2018, with responsibility for overseeing the offices of presidential personnel, political affairs, and public liaison.

In February 2020, it was announced that former White House communications director Hope Hicks would return to the White House Office in the role.[17] In May 2020, White House staff secretary Derek Lyons was also given the title of counselor.[18]

President Joe Biden named Steve Ricchetti, the chairman of his 2020 presidential campaign, as counselor to the president upon taking office.[19] Jeffrey Zients was also given the title in his role as White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator.[20]

List of counselors to the president

Counselors to President Richard Nixon (1969–1974)

Counselor to the President Donald Rumsfeld confers with President Richard Nixon on the White House grounds.

All of President Nixon's counselors were members of his Cabinet during their tenure.

Counselor Term of Office Party
Arthur Burns Arthur F. Burns
(1904–1987)		 January 20, 1969 – November 5, 1969 Republican
Pat Moynihan Pat Moynihan
(1927–2003)		 November 5, 1969[21] – December 31, 1970[22] Democratic
Bryce Harlow Bryce Harlow
(1916–1987)		 November 5, 1969[21] – December 9, 1970[23] Republican
Robert Finch Robert Finch
(1925–1995)		 June 23, 1970[24] – December 15, 1972[25] Republican
Donald Rumsfeld Donald Rumsfeld
(1932–2021) 		December 11, 1970[26] – October 15, 1971[26] Republican
Anne Armstrong Anne Armstrong
(1927–2008)		 January 19, 1973 – August 9, 1974 Republican
Dean Burch
(1927–1991)		 March 8, 1974[27] – August 9, 1974[28] Republican
Kenneth Rush Kenneth Rush
(1910–1994)		 May 29, 1974[29] – August 9, 1974[30] Republican


Counselors to President Gerald Ford (1974–1977)

President Ford and Counselor Robert Hartmann looking over paperwork concerning the selection of a new vice president, 1974

All of President Ford's's counselors were members of his Cabinet during their tenure.

Counselor Term of Office Party
Anne Armstrong Anne Armstrong
(1927–2008)		 August 9, 1974 – December 18, 1974 Republican
Dean Burch
(1927–1991)		 August 9, 1974[31] – December 31, 1974[32] Republican
Kenneth Rush Kenneth Rush
(1910–1994)		 August 9, 1974[33] – September 19, 1974[34] Republican
Robert T. Hartmann[35]
(1917–2008)		 August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 Republican
John O. Marsh John Marsh
(1926–2019)		 August 9, 1974[36] – January 20, 1977[37] Democratic
Rogers Morton[38]
(1914–1979)		 February 2, 1976 – April 1, 1976 Republican


Counselors to President Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)

President Carter did not appoint any counselors during his tenure in the White House.

Counselor Term of Office Party
Vacant January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 n/a


Counselors to President Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)

President Reagan holds an oval office staff meeting on his first full day in office. Front left, Counselor to the President Edwin Meese.
"The Troika". From left to right: White House Chief of Staff James Baker, Counselor to the President Ed Meese and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Michael Deaver at the White House, December 2, 1981.

President Reagan only appointed a counselor during his first term in the White House.

Counselor Term of Office Party
Edwin Meese Edwin Meese
(born 1931)		 January 20, 1981 – February 25, 1985 Republican
Vacant February 25, 1985 – January 20, 1989


Counselors to President George H.W. Bush (1989–1993)

President Bush only appointed a counselor, who was a member of his Cabinet during the last 11 months of his single term in the White House. The position was vacant for the first 3 years of his presidency.

Counselor Term of Office Party
Vacant January 20, 1989 – February 1, 1992
Clayton Yeutter Clayton Yeutter
(1930–2017)		 February 1, 1992 – January 20, 1993 Republican


Counselors to President Bill Clinton (1993–2001)

Bill Clinton announces the appointment of David Gergen as Counselor to the President, 1993

President Clinton did not appoint a counselor for the first 5 months of his first term. He was the first president in over 20 years whose counselors were not members of his Cabinet.

Counselor Term of Office Party
Vacant January 20, 1993 – May 29, 1993
David Gergen David Gergen
(born 1942)		 May 29, 1993 – June 10, 1994 Republican
Vacant June 10, 1994 – July 17, 1994
Mack McLarty Mack McLarty
(born 1946)		 July 17, 1994[39] – June 30, 1998[40] Democratic
Bill Curry
(born 1951)		 February 21, 1995 – January 20, 1997 Democratic
Paul Begala Paul Begala
(born 1961)		 August 17, 1997[41] – March 10, 1999 Democratic
Ann Lewis
(born 1937)		 March 10, 1999 – January 20, 2001 Democratic


Counselors to President George W. Bush (2001–2009)

Counselor to the President Karen Hughes and First Lady Laura Bush, June 28, 2002.
Counselor to the President Dan Bartlett delivering a briefing on President George W. Bush's State of the Union Message, February 3, 2005.
Counselor to the President Ed Gillespie (right) and Chief of Staff to the Vice President David Addington review a document, December 5, 2007.

President Bush did not appoint a counselor for the last 2 1/2 years of his first term. He continued predecessors footsteps to not include his counselors as members of his Cabinet.

Counselor Term of Office Portfolio Party
Karen Hughes Karen Hughes
(born 1956)		 January 20, 2001 – July 8, 2002 none Republican
Vacant July 8, 2002 – January 5, 2005
Dan Bartlett Dan Bartlett
(born 1971)		 January 5, 2005 – July 5, 2007 Strategic Communication & Policy Republican
Ed Gillespie Ed Gillespie
(born 1961)		 July 5, 2007 – January 20, 2009 Policy Development
and Strategic Planning		 Republican


Counselors to President Barack Obama (2009–2017)

Counselor to the President Pete Rouse, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Vice President Joe Biden talk with President Barack Obama, April 2, 2013.
Counselor to the President John Podesta meets with President Obama in the Oval Office, January 29, 2015.


President Obama did not appoint a counselor for the first 2 years of his first term and did not have one for the last 2 years of his second term. He continued predecessors' footsteps to not include his counselors as members of his Cabinet.

Counselor Term of Office Portfolio Party
Vacant January 20, 2009 – January 13, 2011
Pete Rouse Pete Rouse
(born 1946)		 January 13, 2011 – January 1, 2014 Legislative Affairs Democratic
JohnPodesta John Podesta
(born 1949)		 January 1, 2014 – February 13, 2015 none Democratic
Vacant February 13, 2015 – January 20, 2017


Counselors to President Donald Trump (2017–2021)

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway talks to reporters and answers questions outside the West Wing entrance of the White House.
Senior Counselor to the President Steve Bannon appears with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference.


President Trump was the first president since President Gerald Ford to have a counselor throughout all 4 years of his tenure.

Counselor Term of Office Portfolio Party
Steve Bannon Steve Bannon
(born 1953)[42][43]		 January 20, 2017 – August 18, 2017[44] Political Strategy
(as "Chief Strategist and
Senior Counselor")		 Republican
Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Conway
(born 1967)[42][43]		 January 20, 2017 – August 31, 2020[45] Political and Polling Strategy
(as "Senior Counselor")		 Republican
Johnny DeStefano Johnny DeStefano
(born 1979)		 February 9, 2018 – May 24, 2019[46][47] Intergovernmental Affairs
and Political Affairs		 Republican
Hope Hicks Hope Hicks
(born 1988)		 March 9, 2020[48] – January 12, 2021[49][50] Strategic Communications Republican
Derek Lyons Derek Lyons May 20, 2020[51] – January 20, 2021[52] Domestic Policy Republican


Counselors to President Joe Biden (2021–present)

Counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti (right) meets with White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and President Joe Biden in the Oval Office, October 2021.
Counselor Term of Office Portfolio Party
Steve Ricchetti Steve Ricchetti January 20, 2021 – present Legislative & Governmental Relations Democratic
Jeffrey Zients Jeffrey Zients
(born 1966)		 January 20, 2021 – April 4, 2022 COVID Response Coordination Democratic

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Clayton Yeutter's Obituary". The Washington Post.
  2. ↑ Walsh, Edward; article, Washington Post Staff Writer; Washington Post staff writer Robert G. Kaiser contributed to this (January 15, 1977). "Carter Names 12 Key Staff Aides". Retrieved January 24, 2018 – via www.WashingtonPost.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ "The Presidential Troika". The New York Times. April 19, 1981. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Former Counselor to the President, Dan Bartlett's Biography". whitehouse.gov. October 22, 2008. Retrieved November 14, 2016 – via National Archives.
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. 1 2 3 "President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden announce key White House staff | Change.gov: The Obama-Biden Transition Team". Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved April 21, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ↑ "Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett". whitehouse.gov. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Obama Picks William Daley As Chief Of Staff". NPR. January 6, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Daley's duties". Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Counselor to the President John Podesta". WhiteHouse.gov. Archived from the original on October 1, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Trump Picks Kellyanne Conway to Serve as Counselor to the President". Politico. December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Trump's Pick of Steve Bannon as Chief Strategist Sparks Backlash". NBC News. November 14, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  14. ↑ Thrush, Glenn; Haberman, Maggie (January 30, 2017). "Bannon is Given Security Role Usually Held for Generals". The New York Times.
  15. ↑ "Steve Bannon loses National Security Council seat". BBC News. April 5, 2017. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  16. ↑ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Appointments for the Executive Office of the President". whitehouse.gov. February 9, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2019 – via National Archives.
  17. ↑ Haberman, Maggie (February 13, 2020). "Hope Hicks to Return to the White House After a Nearly Two-Year Absence". The News York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  18. ↑ Samuels, Brett (May 21, 2020). "Trump taps Brooke Rollins as acting domestic policy chief". The Hill. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  19. ↑ Shear, Michael D.; Glueck, Katie (November 17, 2020). "Biden to Name Campaign Manager, Congressional Ally, and Close Friend to Key Staff Jobs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  20. ↑ "President-elect Joe Biden Announces Key Members of Health Team". Politico (Press release). Biden-Harris Transition. December 7, 2020. p. 1. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Archived October 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ↑ "White House Farewell". The New York Times. December 31, 1970. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Harlow Resigns As Aide to Nixon; Will Return to Lobbyist Post". The New York Times. December 10, 1970. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  24. ↑ Reston, James (June 10, 1970). "Finch and the Postwar Economy". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  25. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/1995–10–11/news/mn-55826_1_richard-nixon
  26. 1 2 https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/16/archives/tax-aide-chosen-to-head-enforcement-of-phase–2-tax-official-is.html
  27. ↑ Brown, Les (March 6, 1974). "Burch Under Senate Pressure to Step Up FCC Departure 3 Vacancies". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  28. ↑ Krebs, Albin (December 3, 1974). "Burch Resigning as White House Adviser Notes on People". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Rush Sworn as Counselor to President on Economy". The New York Times. May 30, 1974. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Kenneth Rush – People – Department History – Office of the Historian". History.state.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  31. ↑ Brown, Les (March 6, 1974). "Burch Under Senate Pressure to Step Up FCC Departure 3 Vacancies". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  32. ↑ Krebs, Albin (December 3, 1974). "Burch Resigning as White House Adviser Notes on People". The New York Times. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  33. ↑ "Rush Sworn as Counselor to President on Economy". The New York Times. May 30, 1974. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  34. ↑ "Kenneth Rush – People – Department History – Office of the Historian". History.state.gov. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  35. ↑ Dennis Hevesi (April 19, 2008). "Robert Hartmann, 91, Dies; Wrote Ford's Noted Talk". The New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  36. ↑ "Ford Bids Cabinet and Agency Heads Remain in Post Indefinite Stays". The New York Times. August 11, 1974. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Ford Making Plans For Handing Over Controls to Carter". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 23, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  38. ↑ "Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum". www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov.
  39. ↑ NELSON, JACK (June 28, 1994). "Panetta Named Chief of Staff in Major White House Shake-Up : Presidency: Clinton's friend McLarty will step aside and become the counselor to the President. Gergen will move to State Dept. and Rivlin will be a budget director in effort to add 'strength, vitality.'". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  40. ↑ Broder, John M. (April 25, 1998). "President's Friend Is Leaving White House for Private Life". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  41. ↑ "News Summary". The New York Times. August 17, 1997. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  42. 1 2 "Executive Office Of The President Annual Report To Congress On White House Office Personnel White House Office As Of: Friday, June 30, 2017" (PDF). whitehouse.gov. p. 3 – via National Archives.
  43. 1 2 Senior Counselor
  44. ↑ "Bannon out as White House chief strategist". Politico. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  45. ↑ "Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls)". twitter.com.
  46. ↑ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Appointments for the Executive Office of the President". whitehouse.gov. February 9, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2018 – via National Archives.
  47. ↑ Dawsey, Josh; Sonmez, Felicia (May 21, 2019). "Long-serving Trump aide DeStefano to depart White House". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  48. ↑ Cook, Nancy; McGraw, Meredith (April 27, 2020). "Trump looks to Hope Hicks as coronavirus crisis spills over". Politico. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  49. ↑ "Hope Hicks to Return to the White House After a Nearly Two-Year Absence". The New York Times. February 13, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  50. ↑ Brown, Pamela; Gangel, Jamie (January 13, 2021). "Top White House adviser Hicks no longer works at the White House, a previously planned departure". CNN. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  51. ↑ "Trump taps Brooke Rollins as acting domestic policy chief". May 21, 2020.
  52. ↑ "Annual Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel" (PDF). whitehouse.gov. June 26, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2020 – via National Archives.
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