Well, would you look at that—President Trump just did something that would’ve had the liberal media doing cartwheels if it had been anyone with a “D” after their name. On Thursday, the Trump administration released its annual salary report for every White House staffer. Transparency? Check. Fiscal restraint? Mostly. Political theater? Always. But let’s dig into the numbers and see what all the fuss is—or rather, isn’t—about.
Top of the pay scale is Jacalynne Klopp, raking in $225,700 as a senior advisor. She’s the only one at that level, which, in a world where bureaucrats in some departments are making six figures just to chair DEI workshops, seems like a steal. Right behind her is Edgar Mkrtchian, an associate counsel, pulling in $203,645. And then there’s the $195,200 club—a group of 33 staffers including names the base will recognize: Karoline Leavitt, Tom Homan, Susan Wiles, Peter Navarro, Steven Cheung, and of course, the ever-polarizing Stephen Miller.
A new report gives insight into the salaries of every staffer inside the White House under President @realDonaldTrump , which range from $59,070 to $225,700 — with eight employees receiving no salary at all. pic.twitter.com/SMcUG5GdPA
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 3, 2025
These aren’t just political operatives—they’re people doing real work on the ground. You may not like their tone or their tactics, but they’re not there to polish the silverware. They’re running comms, handling border security, and untangling trade policies that Biden’s team couldn’t even begin to understand without focus groups and a UN subcommittee.
Let’s talk numbers. A whopping 108 staffers are making between $59,000 and $80,000. That’s entry- to mid-level for D.C., which, as anyone who’s paid rent near Capitol Hill knows, doesn’t go far in the land of Whole Foods and $6 lattes. Even Trump’s speechwriters—who, let’s be honest, have the difficult task of channeling bombast into memorable one-liners—pull in somewhere between $92,500 and $121,500. Not bad for the folks who have to spin gold out of tweets and teleprompters.
Now here’s where it gets interesting: eight staffers aren’t taking a dime. That’s right—zero. Zilch. Nada. Among them? Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who’s pulling double duty as national security advisor without collecting White House pay. Say what you will about political ambition, but that’s a power move. And special envoy Steve Witkoff? He’s on the State Department’s payroll, so no double-dipping there either. Imagine that—public servants who actually serve.
And, of course, no salary report would be complete without addressing the guy at the top. Trump’s personal salary wasn’t listed—standard practice since it’s established in federal law at $400,000 annually, with an added $50,000 expense allowance, $100,000 for travel, and $19,000 for entertainment. But, in case anyone forgot, Trump donated every dollar of his salary during his first term.
That’s $1.6 million the government didn’t have to shell out, because he chose principle over paycheck. Compare that to politicians who mysteriously become millionaires after a few years in office—then try to explain it without invoking insider trading, shady book deals, or sweetheart speaking gigs.
On Friday, the Trump administration released their annual report to Congress on White House Office Personnel
The total annual White House salaries under Trump are $35.8 million vs. $60.9 million under Obama, a savings of $25.1 million per year#Winning#Trump2020NowMoreThanEver pic.twitter.com/fWbvSZTP84
— RUMantic 🎗️# (@JouMoore) February 11, 2020
Here’s the real kicker: the White House didn’t rush to respond to media inquiries. Why should they? The report speaks for itself. Salaries are transparent, inflated positions are minimal, and the president himself isn’t padding his pockets. It’s not sexy news, but in an era when the federal government can’t account for billions in mismanaged aid and bureaucratic bloat is treated like a virtue, this kind of responsible accounting is almost refreshing.
So yes, there’s your Trump White House payroll. Neat, tidy, and, dare I say—efficient. The left won’t applaud it, of course. They’re too busy pretending not to notice when their own favorites rake in cash for jobs that mostly involve managing narratives and issuing press releases about feelings. But for everyone else? This is what competent governance looks like. Trim the fat. Pay for performance. And maybe, just maybe, remind Washington what it means to serve the people—not the other way around.
