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White House Press Secretary

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White House Press Secretary

The White House press secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the executive branch of the United States federal government, especially with regard to the president, senior aides and executives, as well as government policies. The press secretary is responsible for collecting information about actions and events within the president's administration and issues the administration's reactions to developments around the world. The press secretary interacts with the media and the White House press corps on a daily basis, generally in a daily press briefing. The press secretary serves by the appointment and at the pleasure of the president of the United States; the office does not require the advice and consent of the United States Senate; however, because of the frequent briefings given to the global media, who in turn inform the public, the position is a prominent non-Cabinet post. On January 20, 2025, Karoline Leavitt became the 36th White House press secretary.

Infobox

Appointer
President of the United States
Formation
March 4, 1929; 96 years ago (1929-03-04)
First holder
George E. Akerson
Salary
$180,000 USD (2024)
Website
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/

Tables

· List of press secretaries
George Akerson
George Akerson
Name
George Akerson
Start
March 4, 1929
End
March 16, 1931
Duration
2 years, 12 days
President
Herbert Hoover(1929–1933)
Ted Joslin
Ted Joslin
Name
Ted Joslin
Start
March 16, 1931
End
March 4, 1933
Duration
1 year, 353 days
Stephen Early
Stephen Early
Name
Stephen Early
Start
March 4, 1933
End
March 29, 1945
Duration
12 years, 25 days
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt(1933–1945)
Jonathan Daniels
Jonathan Daniels
Name
Jonathan Daniels
Start
March 29, 1945
End
May 15, 1945
Duration
47 days
Harry S. Truman(1945–1953)
Harry S. Truman(1945–1953)
Name
Harry S. Truman(1945–1953)
Charlie Ross
Charlie Ross
Name
Charlie Ross
Start
May 15, 1945
End
December 5, 1950
Duration
5 years, 204 days
Stephen EarlyActing
Stephen EarlyActing
Name
Stephen EarlyActing
Start
December 5, 1950
End
December 18, 1950
Duration
13 days
Joseph Short
Joseph Short
Name
Joseph Short
Start
December 18, 1950
End
September 18, 1952
Duration
1 year, 288 days
Roger Tubby
Roger Tubby
Name
Roger Tubby
Start
September 18, 1952
End
January 20, 1953
Duration
124 days
James Hagerty
James Hagerty
Name
James Hagerty
Start
January 20, 1953
End
January 20, 1961
Duration
8 years, 0 days
President
Dwight D. Eisenhower(1953–1961)
Pierre Salinger
Pierre Salinger
Name
Pierre Salinger
Start
January 20, 1961
End
March 19, 1964
Duration
3 years, 59 days
President
John F. Kennedy(1961–1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson(1963–1969)
Lyndon B. Johnson(1963–1969)
Name
Lyndon B. Johnson(1963–1969)
George Reedy
George Reedy
Name
George Reedy
Start
March 19, 1964
End
July 8, 1965
Duration
1 year, 111 days
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers
Name
Bill Moyers
Start
July 8, 1965
End
February 1, 1967
Duration
1 year, 208 days
George Christian
George Christian
Name
George Christian
Start
February 1, 1967
End
January 20, 1969
Duration
1 year, 354 days
Ron Ziegler
Ron Ziegler
Name
Ron Ziegler
Start
January 20, 1969
End
August 9, 1974
Duration
5 years, 201 days
President
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
Jerald terHorst
Jerald terHorst
Name
Jerald terHorst
Start
August 9, 1974
End
September 9, 1974
Duration
31 days
President
Gerald Ford(1974–1977)
Ron Nessen
Ron Nessen
Name
Ron Nessen
Start
September 9, 1974
End
January 20, 1977
Duration
2 years, 133 days
Jody Powell
Jody Powell
Name
Jody Powell
Start
January 20, 1977
End
January 20, 1981
Duration
4 years, 0 days
President
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
Jim Brady
Jim Brady
Name
Jim Brady
Start
January 20, 1981
End
March 30, 1981(de facto)January 20, 1989(de jure)
Duration
69 days/8 years, 0 days
President
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
Larry SpeakesActing
Larry SpeakesActing
Name
Larry SpeakesActing
Start
March 30, 1981
End
February 1, 1987
Duration
5 years, 308 days
Marlin Fitzwater
Marlin Fitzwater
Name
Marlin Fitzwater
Start
February 1, 1987
End
January 20, 1989
Duration
1 year, 354 days
January 20, 1993
January 20, 1993
Name
January 20, 1993
Start
4 years, 0 days
Duration
George H. W. Bush(1989–1993)
Dee Dee Myers
Dee Dee Myers
Name
Dee Dee Myers
Start
January 20, 1993
End
December 22, 1994
Duration
1 year, 336 days
President
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
George StephanopoulosDe facto
George StephanopoulosDe facto
Name
George StephanopoulosDe facto
Start
January 20, 1993
End
June 7, 1993
Duration
138 days
Mike McCurry
Mike McCurry
Name
Mike McCurry
Start
December 22, 1994
End
August 4, 1998
Duration
3 years, 225 days
Joe Lockhart
Joe Lockhart
Name
Joe Lockhart
Start
August 4, 1998
End
September 29, 2000
Duration
2 years, 56 days
Jake Siewert
Jake Siewert
Name
Jake Siewert
Start
September 30, 2000
End
January 20, 2001
Duration
112 days
Ari Fleischer
Ari Fleischer
Name
Ari Fleischer
Start
January 20, 2001
End
July 15, 2003
Duration
2 years, 176 days
President
George W. Bush(2001–2009)
Scott McClellan
Scott McClellan
Name
Scott McClellan
Start
July 15, 2003
End
May 10, 2006
Duration
2 years, 299 days
Tony Snow
Tony Snow
Name
Tony Snow
Start
May 10, 2006
End
September 14, 2007
Duration
1 year, 127 days
Dana Perino
Dana Perino
Name
Dana Perino
Start
September 14, 2007
End
January 20, 2009
Duration
1 year, 128 days
Robert Gibbs
Robert Gibbs
Name
Robert Gibbs
Start
January 20, 2009
End
February 11, 2011
Duration
2 years, 22 days
President
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
Jay Carney
Jay Carney
Name
Jay Carney
Start
February 11, 2011
End
June 20, 2014
Duration
3 years, 129 days
Josh Earnest
Josh Earnest
Name
Josh Earnest
Start
June 20, 2014
End
January 20, 2017
Duration
2 years, 214 days
Sean Spicer
Sean Spicer
Name
Sean Spicer
Start
January 20, 2017
End
July 21, 2017
Duration
182 days
President
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Name
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Start
July 21, 2017
End
July 1, 2019
Duration
1 year, 345 days
Stephanie Grisham
Stephanie Grisham
Name
Stephanie Grisham
Start
July 1, 2019
End
April 7, 2020
Duration
281 days
Kayleigh McEnany
Kayleigh McEnany
Name
Kayleigh McEnany
Start
April 7, 2020
End
January 20, 2021
Duration
288 days
Jen Psaki
Jen Psaki
Name
Jen Psaki
Start
January 20, 2021
End
May 13, 2022
Duration
1 year, 113 days
President
Joe Biden(2021–2025)
Karine Jean-Pierre
Karine Jean-Pierre
Name
Karine Jean-Pierre
Start
May 13, 2022
End
January 20, 2025
Duration
2 years, 252 days
Karoline Leavitt
Karoline Leavitt
Name
Karoline Leavitt
Start
January 20, 2025
End
Incumbent
Duration
324 days
President
Donald Trump(2025–present)
Image
Name
Start
End
Duration
President
George Akerson
March 4, 1929
March 16, 1931
2 years, 12 days
Herbert Hoover(1929–1933)
Ted Joslin
March 16, 1931
March 4, 1933
1 year, 353 days
Stephen Early
March 4, 1933
March 29, 1945
12 years, 25 days
Franklin D. Roosevelt(1933–1945)
Jonathan Daniels
March 29, 1945
May 15, 1945
47 days
Harry S. Truman(1945–1953)
Charlie Ross
May 15, 1945
December 5, 1950
5 years, 204 days
Stephen EarlyActing
December 5, 1950
December 18, 1950
13 days
Joseph Short
December 18, 1950
September 18, 1952
1 year, 288 days
Roger Tubby
September 18, 1952
January 20, 1953
124 days
James Hagerty
January 20, 1953
January 20, 1961
8 years, 0 days
Dwight D. Eisenhower(1953–1961)
Pierre Salinger
January 20, 1961
March 19, 1964
3 years, 59 days
John F. Kennedy(1961–1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson(1963–1969)
George Reedy
March 19, 1964
July 8, 1965
1 year, 111 days
Bill Moyers
July 8, 1965
February 1, 1967
1 year, 208 days
George Christian
February 1, 1967
January 20, 1969
1 year, 354 days
Ron Ziegler
January 20, 1969
August 9, 1974
5 years, 201 days
Richard Nixon(1969–1974)
Jerald terHorst
August 9, 1974
September 9, 1974
31 days
Gerald Ford(1974–1977)
Ron Nessen
September 9, 1974
January 20, 1977
2 years, 133 days
Jody Powell
January 20, 1977
January 20, 1981
4 years, 0 days
Jimmy Carter(1977–1981)
Jim Brady
January 20, 1981
March 30, 1981(de facto)January 20, 1989(de jure)
69 days/8 years, 0 days
Ronald Reagan(1981–1989)
Larry SpeakesActing
March 30, 1981
February 1, 1987
5 years, 308 days
Marlin Fitzwater
February 1, 1987
January 20, 1989
1 year, 354 days
January 20, 1989
January 20, 1993
4 years, 0 days
George H. W. Bush(1989–1993)
Dee Dee Myers
January 20, 1993
December 22, 1994
1 year, 336 days
Bill Clinton(1993–2001)
George StephanopoulosDe facto
January 20, 1993
June 7, 1993
138 days
Mike McCurry
December 22, 1994
August 4, 1998
3 years, 225 days
Joe Lockhart
August 4, 1998
September 29, 2000
2 years, 56 days
Jake Siewert
September 30, 2000
January 20, 2001
112 days
Ari Fleischer
January 20, 2001
July 15, 2003
2 years, 176 days
George W. Bush(2001–2009)
Scott McClellan
July 15, 2003
May 10, 2006
2 years, 299 days
Tony Snow
May 10, 2006
September 14, 2007
1 year, 127 days
Dana Perino
September 14, 2007
January 20, 2009
1 year, 128 days
Robert Gibbs
January 20, 2009
February 11, 2011
2 years, 22 days
Barack Obama(2009–2017)
Jay Carney
February 11, 2011
June 20, 2014
3 years, 129 days
Josh Earnest
June 20, 2014
January 20, 2017
2 years, 214 days
Sean Spicer
January 20, 2017
July 21, 2017
182 days
Donald Trump(2017–2021)
Sarah Huckabee Sanders
July 21, 2017
July 1, 2019
1 year, 345 days
Stephanie Grisham
July 1, 2019
April 7, 2020
281 days
Kayleigh McEnany
April 7, 2020
January 20, 2021
288 days
Jen Psaki
January 20, 2021
May 13, 2022
1 year, 113 days
Joe Biden(2021–2025)
Karine Jean-Pierre
May 13, 2022
January 20, 2025
2 years, 252 days
Karoline Leavitt
January 20, 2025
Incumbent
324 days
Donald Trump(2025–present)

References

  1. Brady formally retained the title of press secretary until the end of the Reagan administration in 1989, but he did not
  2. Stephanopoulos briefed the press during his tenure as communications director, despite Myers formally holding the title.
  3. Grisham, unlike her predecessors, did not hold any formal White House press briefings.
  4. "Annual Report to Congress on White House Office Personnel"
    https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-July-1-Report-to-Congress.pdf
  5. Who Speaks for the President?: The White House Press Secretary from Cleveland to Clinton
    https://archive.org/details/whospeaksforpres02nels/
  6. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/30/politics/30letter.html
  7. Mediaite
    http://www.mediaite.com/online/white-house-press-give-jay-carney-decent-marks-call-first-month-on-the-job-trial-by-fire
  8. To Serve the President: Continuity and Innovation in the White House Staff
    https://archive.org/details/toservepresident00patt
  9. The Christian Science Monitor
    https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2011/0216/White-House-change-of-style-Jay-Carney-takes-podium-as-new-press-secretary
  10. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/westwing/index.html
  11. "President Bush Unveils Renovated Press Briefing Room"
    https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/07/images/20070711_d-0329-3-515h.html
  12. Slate
    http://www.slate.com/id/2130669/
  13. To Serve the President: Continuity and Innovation in the White House Staff
    https://archive.org/details/toservepresident00patt
  14. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/13/obituaries/james-c-hagerty-71-dies-eisenhower-press-secretary.html
  15. Presidential Studies Quarterly
    https://www.jstor.org/stable/27551732
  16. FDR and the Press
    https://archive.org/details/amj00grah
  17. HST: Memories of the Truman Years
    https://books.google.com/books?id=acjyveHhcJUC&pg=PA117
  18. "Charlie G. Ross Papers"
    http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/ross.htm
  19. "Joseph H. Short and Beth Campbell Papers"
    http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/short.htm
  20. "Roger Tubby Oral History Interview"
    http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/tubby.htm
  21. "James C. Hagerty Papers"
    https://eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/PDFs/Hagerty_James_Papers.pdf
  22. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
    http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000016
  23. "HR 557 (2003)"
    http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/78R/billtext/html/HR00557F.htm
  24. "Moyers, Bill"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20080517085456/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/M/htmlM/moyesrbill/moyersbill.htm
  25. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/02/us/02terhorst.html
  26. "Ron Nessen Files"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20110514064419/http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/guides/Finding%20Aids/Nessen,%20Ron%20-%20Files.htm
  27. "Announcement of the Presentation of the Presidential Citizens Medal to Larry M. Speakes"
    http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1987/013087a.htm
  28. "Appointment of Marlin Fitzwater as Assistant to the President for Press Relations"
    http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1987/011287b.htm
  29. "President Announces Tony Snow as Press Secretary"
    https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060426.html
  30. Reuters
    https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70Q8HR20110128
  31. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/us/politics/sean-spicer-resigns-as-white-house-press-secretary.html?mcubz=1
  32. "President Donald J. Trump Elevates Sarah Sanders to the Role of White House Press Secretary"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170724200608/https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/07/21/president-donald-j-trump-elevates-sarah-sanders-role-white-house-press
  33. Newsweek
    http://www.newsweek.com/sarah-huckabee-sanders-profile-press-secretary-640738
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