White House Political Director
Senior presidential appointee
The White House Political Director , formally the Director of the Office of Political Affairs (OPA) or Director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach (OPSO) , is a political appointee of the President of the United States and a senior member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States .
History
The White House Office of Political Affairs was first formally established in 1981 during under Ronald Reagan , while Jimmy Carter was the first to designate a political director in 1978.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] [ 4]
Subsequent administrations have rebranded the office. During his second term, President Obama renamed the office as the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach, though the roles and responsibilities of the office and its director remained.[ 5]
List
Image
Name
Start
End
President
Tim Kraft April 28, 1978
August 10, 1979
Jimmy Carter
Sarah Weddington August 10, 1979
January 20, 1981
Lyn Nofziger January 20, 1981
January 22, 1982
Ronald Reagan
Ed Rollins January 22, 1982
October 1983
Margaret Tutwiler Acting
July 23, 1984
February 5, 1985
Bill Lacy April 5, 1985
June 17, 1986
Haley Barbour June 17, 1986
March 16, 1987
Frank Lavin March 16, 1987
January 20, 1989
James Wray January 20, 1989
June 1, 1990
George H. W. Bush
David Carney June 1, 1990 Acting: June 1, 1990 – March 5, 1991
January 1992
Ron Kaufman January 1992
August 24, 1992
Janet Mullins August 24, 1992
January 20, 1993
Rahm Emanuel January 20, 1993
June 23, 1993
Bill Clinton
Joan Baggett June 23, 1993
December 1994
Joe Velasquez Acting
December 1994
February 16, 1995
Doug Sosnik February 16, 1995
February 7, 1997
Craig Smith February 7, 1997
February 5, 1999
Minyon Moore February 5, 1999
January 20, 2001
Ken Mehlman January 20, 2001
May 23, 2003
George W. Bush
Matt Schlapp May 23, 2003
February 2005
Sara Taylor February 2005
May 31, 2007
Jonathan Felts May 31, 2007
January 20, 2009
Patrick Gaspard January 20, 2009
February 1, 2011
Barack Obama
Vacant
February 1, 2011
January 24, 2014
David Simas January 24, 2014
December 19, 2016
Bill Stepien January 20, 2017
December 7, 2018
Donald Trump
Brian Jack February 2, 2019
January 20, 2021
Emmy Ruiz January 20, 2021
January 20, 2025
Joe Biden
Matt Brasseaux January 20, 2025
Incumbent
Donald Trump
Political and Intergovernmental Affairs
During the second term of the Reagan administration, there was a director of political and intergovernmental affairs who sat above the political director and intergovernmental affairs director .
In popular culture
Paulo Costanzo portrays Lyor Boone , the fictional White House Political Director, in Designated Survivor political thriller television series.
References
^ Leonard, Barry (May 2009). Activities of the White House Office of Political Affairs United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform . ISBN 978-1-4379-1063-6 . Retrieved September 10, 2021 . ^ Dunn Tenpas, Kathryn (October 2020). "The Office of Political Affairs" (PDF) . White House Transition Project, University of Missouri Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy. Retrieved September 10, 2021 . ^ Dunn Tenpas, Kathryn (Spring 1996). "Presidential Elections: Past and Present – Institutionalized Politics: The White House Office of Political Affairs" . Presidential Studies Quarterly 26 (2): 511– 522. JSTOR 27551595 . Retrieved September 10, 2021 . ^ "Investigation of Political Activities by White House and Federal Agency Officials during the 2006 Midterm Elections" (PDF) . United States Office of Special Counsel . January 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2021 .^ Gerstein, Josh (January 30, 2014). "New Politics Shop Sees Old Questions" . Politico . Retrieved August 27, 2021 .
Executive Office
Advisory Boards (Council for Community Solutions , Corporation for National and Community Service , Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders , President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology , President's Intelligence Advisory Board , President's Management Advisory Board )Council of Economic Advisers Council on Environmental Quality Digital Service Executive Residence (Committee for the Preservation of the White House , Office of the Curator , Office of the Chief Usher , Office of the Chief Floral Designer , Office of the Executive Chef , Graphics and Calligraphy Office )National Space Council National Security Council (Deputies Committee )Homeland Security Council Office of Administration (Office of Mail and Messenger Operations , Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer)Office of Management and Budget (Office of the Chief Performance Officer , Office of E-Government and Information Technology , Office of Federal Financial Management , Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs )Office of National Drug Control Policy Office of Science and Technology Policy (Office of the Chief Technology Officer , National Science and Technology Council )Office of the Trade Representative Office of the Vice President (Office of the Chief of Staff ) White House Office
Office of Cabinet Affairs Office of the Chief of Staff (Office of Senior Advisors )Office of Communications (Office of Media Affairs, Office of Research, Office of the Press Secretary , Office of Speechwriting )Counsel Counselor to the President Office of Digital Strategy
Domestic Policy Council (Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships , Office of National AIDS Policy , Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation , Rural Council )Fellows First Lady (Office of the Social Secretary )Office of the National Security Advisor (Homeland Security Advisor )Gun Violence Prevention Intergovernmental Affairs Legislative Affairs Management and Administration (White House Operations, White House Personnel, Visitors Office )National Economic Council National Trade Council Oval Office Operations (Personal Secretary )Office of Political Affairs Presidential Innovation Fellows Presidential Personnel Public Engagement (Council on Women and Girls , Jewish Liaison , Urban Affairs )Scheduling and Advance Staff Secretary (Executive Clerk , Presidential Correspondence , Office of Records Management)Military Office (Communications Agency , Medical Unit , Presidential Food Service , Transportation Agency )
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