Melania Trump has taken on a very proactive role as first lady. Each day she has a full and tight schedule, packed with numerous public appearances and events. What is even more impressive is how she manages her schedule and staff. The First Lady spends less than 50% of what her predecessor did.

According to a Fox News analysis of First Lady personnel reports, during President Barack Obama's first year in office, 16 people were on the First Lady's payroll, earning a combined total of $1.24 million a year. This year, Melania Trump has just 4 employees with a combined salary of $486,700.

As with all things that she does, she is being very deliberate in her hiring, focusing on quality over quantity,” communications director Stephanie Grisham said in an email to Fox News. “It is important to her that the team is a good fit for what she wants to accomplish as first lady, and that everyone works well together. She also wants to be mindful and responsible when it comes to taxpayer money.”

The full details are available via annual reports the White House sends to Congress each year, showing names, titles, and salaries of all staff employees. A few of the additional positions Michelle Obama's staff included were: additional press aides, a personal aide, a traveling aide, a director of policy and projects, and a director of correspondence.

Michelle Obama's office failed to return a request for comment.

The role of First Lady is not formally defined and each one defines the role in their own way. The First Lady's staff is not the only one running lean in the White House. Back in June of 2017 Forbes reported President Trump's staff included 110 fewer employees than President Obama's during each Presidents first term. Forbes estimated the four-year savings from a smaller Presidential staff could save taxpayers more than $22 million.


Michelle Obama Staff Salaries in 2009


Susan S. Sher
$172,200.00
Assistant to the president and chief of staff to the first lady

Jocelyn C. Frye
$140,000.00
Deputy assistant to the president and director of policy and projects for the first lady

Camille Y. Johnston
$102,000.00
Special assistant to the president and director of communications for the first lady

Melissa E. Winter
$102,000.00
Special assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff to the first lady

David S. Medina
$90,000.00
Deputy chief of staff to the first lady

Catherine M. Lelyveld
$84,000.00
Director and press secretary to the first lady

Frances M. Starkey
$75,000.00
Director of scheduling and advance for the first lady

Trooper Sanders
$70,000.00
Deputy director of policy and projects for the first lady

Jennifer R. Goodman
$62,000.00
Deputy director of scheduling and events coordinator for the first lady

Alan Fitts
$60,000.00
Deputy director of advance and trip director for the first lady

Dana M. Lewis
$60,000.00
Special assistant and personal aide to the first lady

Semonti M. Mustaphi
$52,500.00
Associate director and deputy press secretary to the first lady

Kristen E. Jarvis
$50,000.00
Special assistant for scheduling and traveling aide to the first lady

Tyler A. Lechtenberg
$45,000.00
Associate director of correspondence for the first lady

Joseph J. Boswell
$40,000.00
Executive assistant to the chief of staff to the first lady

Deilia A. Jackson
$36,000.00
Deputy associate director of correspondence for the first lady

Source: 2009 report to Congress on White House personnel


Melania Trump Staff Salaries in 2017


Lindsay B. Reynolds
$179,700.00
Assistant to the president and chief of staff to the first lady

Stephanie A. Grisham
$115,000.00
Special assistant to the president and director of communications for the first lady

Timothy G. Tripepi
$115,000.00
Special assistant to the president and deputy chief of staff of operations for the first lady

Mary‐Kathryn Fisher
$77,000.00
Deputy director of advance for the first lady

Source: 2017 report to Congress on White House personnel