First Lady Melania Trump operates with only two employees dedicated exclusively to her office in 2026, according to a new analysis from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF). While White House personnel reports list seven employees assigned to the Office of the First Lady with combined salaries totaling $873,000, the analysis reveals that five of those seven also hold responsibilities elsewhere in the White House. The finding highlights a dramatically leaner approach than previous administrations, where dedicated staff numbered in the double digits.
The 2026 White House personnel report shows seven employees assigned to the Office of the First Lady with combined salaries of $872,700, up from five employees paid $634,000 in 2025. By contrast, the final year of the Biden Administration listed 24 employees with combined salaries of nearly $2.4 million. Of those 24 Biden-era employees, 18 served exclusively in the First Lady's office while six held dual roles. Across Melania Trump's second term so far, the office has averaged just 1.5 dedicated staff members and 4.5 dual-role employees, compared to an average of 10 dedicated staff and 4.5 dual-role employees during Jill Biden's tenure from 2021 to 2024.
Historical comparisons show the shift is unprecedented. Michelle Obama averaged 9 dedicated staff and 3.8 dual-role employees from 2009 to 2016, with total salaries averaging just over $1 million annually. Laura Bush averaged 9 dedicated staff and 1.1 dual-role employees with total salaries of $670,258, while Hillary Clinton averaged 9 dedicated staff and 4 dual-role positions with combined salaries of $868,900. Even during Melania Trump's first term from 2017 to 2020, her office averaged one dedicated staffer and four dual-role employees with total salaries of $669,187.
The report explains that dual-role positions have evolved significantly over time. Earlier administrations mainly shared staff for day-to-day operations like chiefs of staff, communications, and scheduling positions. During the Obama Administration, however, dual-role positions expanded to include officials such as the Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady and Senior Advisor to the First Lady. The Biden Administration continued that trend by assigning dual-role officials to positions including Executive Director of Joining Forces, Senior Advisor on Workforce Development and Education, and Senior Advisor on Cancer. By contrast, both Trump Administrations have relied more on shared communications, scheduling, and operations staff than on policy-focused roles, the analysis notes.
The report emphasizes that the distinction between dedicated and dual-role staff matters for understanding how taxpayer resources are allocated. NTUF reviewed each position in White House personnel reports and categorized employees as either dedicated staff whose responsibilities are limited to the Office of the First Lady, or dual-role staff who simultaneously serve the Office of the First Lady and another White House office. Much of the increase in Biden Administration staffing between 2022 and 2024 resulted from the addition of dedicated policy, communications, scheduling, speechwriting, and initiative-specific positions rather than shared White House personnel, according to the analysis.
The report concludes that there is no statutory staffing level for the Office of the First Lady, and each administration has broad discretion to determine how much taxpayer-funded support to provide and how those responsibilities should be organized. By separating dedicated staff from those who split their time across roles, the analysis offers a clearer comparison across administrations than a simple headcount. It shows not just how many taxpayer-funded employees support the President's spouse, but how those resources are actually used—whether focused solely on the Office of the First Lady or also serving the President. As debates over the size and cost of the Executive Office of the President continue, this context helps taxpayers understand how staffing decisions have changed and how each administration chooses to allocate public resources.