White House Executive Office Staff Who Have Served the Shortest Terms

The White House, the official residence of the President of the United States.
The White House, the official residence of the President of the United States.

Executive Office of the President

The Executive Office of the President (also known as EOPOTUS, or EOP) is the term used to describe the immediate staff of the President of the United States (POTUS). The majority of the roles do not require a confirmation by the US Senate, with the exception of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and the United States Trade Representative. Besides these three, the other agencies found without the EOPOTUS are as follows:

  • White House Office (White House Chief of Staff)
  • Office of the United States Trade Representative
  • Office of the Vice President of the United States
  • National Security Council
  • Council on Environmental Quality
  • Executive Residence Staff
  • Office of Administration
  • Office of National Drug Control Policy
  • Office of Science and Technology Policy

Short Tenures

The chart below is a list of figures who have served as advisors and chairs of each of their respective departments for a year or less, in descending order. Although all of these entries share a relatively short tenure, the reasons behind the abruptness of their terms vary.

Acting Directors

There are some entires in the list who worked short terms as they were intended to serve only as acting director. Examples of this include Brian Deese, who served as Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Obama, and Edward Jurith who severed as Acting Director of the Office of national Drug Control Policy under President Clinton.

Resignations

Bert Lance, Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter, resigned due to the Bank of Credit and Commerce International scandal, although he ultimately was cleared of all charges. Richard V. Allen, National Security Advisor to President Reagan, was accused of a count of bribery surrounding an interview with First Lady Nancy Reagan in Japan in 1981, where cash gifts were acquired. Although the FBI cleared Allen (and everybody else involved), pressure from the scandal resulted in his resignation from his position in politics.

Shortest Tenure

At 24 days, former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn holds the spot on this list with the fewest days. In November 2016, Flynn was offered the position by President Donald Trump. However, scandal was sparked when it was revealed that Flynn was under investigation by counterintelligence agents concerning his communication with Russian officials. On February 13, Flynn stepped down from his post.

Creation of the EOPOTUS

The foundations of the White House, as it is today, has existed since 1939 during the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Reorganization Act of 1939. Although the White House staff started out with a modest size, it has grown considerably throughout the years to now sit at somewhere between 2,000 to 2,500 employees. The budget for the EOPOTUS is between $300 million to $400 million per year.

White House Staff Who Have Served the Shortest Terms

RankNameRolePresident ServedTenure (Days)
1John PoindexterNational Security AdvisorRonald Reagan356
2Frank CarlucciNational Security AdvisorRonald Reagan356
3Richard V. AllenNational Security AdvisorRonald Reagan348
4Hamilton JordanWhite House Chief of StaffJimmy Carter329
5Samuel SkinnerWhite House Chief of StaffGeorge H.W. Bush251
6Bert LanceOffice of Management and Budget ChairJimmy Carter244
7Jack WatsonWhite House Chief of StaffJimmy Carter223
8Kenneth DubersteinWhite House Chief of StaffRonald Reagan203
9James BakerWhite House Chief of StaffGeorge H.W. Bush150
10William H. JacksonNational Security AdvisorDwight D. Eisenhower129
11Harvey S. RosenCouncil of Economic Advisors ChairGeorge W. Bush107
12Ed JurithDirector of National Drug Control Policy Bill Clinton107
13Pete RouseWhite House Chief of StaffBarack Obama104
14Joseph R. Wright, Jr. Office of Management and Budget ChairRonald Reagan96
15Demetrios MarantisOffice of the United States Trade RepresentativeBarack Obama63
16Brian DeeseOffice of Management and Budget ChairBarack Obama49
17Miriam SapiroOffice of the United States Trade RepresentativeBarack Obama29
18Michael FlynnNational Security AdvisorDonald Trump24
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