Listicle: Biden-Harris White House has most staff with the highest salaries in American history

American taxpayers are getting all the government they can afford, and then some. In the required annual report to Congress released by the White House in July, there are 515 employees listed. That’s down slightly from last year, when White House’s 524 employees cost taxpayers nearly $53 million.

“During President Joe Biden’s first three years, he spent $158.8 million on the largest White House payroll in American history, based on headcount,” according to the website OpentheBooks.com. White House staff for FY2023 collectively cost $52,775,234.  

The most expensive employee last year was Deputy Monkeypox Coordinator Dr. Demetre C. Daskalakis, who made $260,718. Although Daskalakis’ LinkedIn profile shows he is still in that position in the White House, he is not listed in the official report by the White House this year, which may mean he has been reassigned to an agency or that he has been left off intentionally. He is a high-profile and flamboyant gay activist, with many provocative photos of him posted around the internet in bondage outfits.

Biden has set a new bar: No White House before Biden-Harris has ever employed 500 staffers. He employs over 100 more staffers than Trump during his four years. In 2019, Trump had 416 White House employees. Obama in 2011 had 454 employees compared to Biden’s 524, at the same time during their presidencies. (

There was 46% turnover in White House staff, from 2022 to 2023 and 39% turnover the year before. This year, the number of employees is sure to drop as some Biden loyalists start looking for other work before January.

The turnover in Biden’s third year in office was 10% higher than the turnover in 2019, Trump’s third year, according to the analysis by OpentheBooks. 

Jill Biden’s staff more than doubled from 2022 to 2023, going from 8 to 20, the analysis said.

View the complete list of White House staff members as of July 1, 2024 at this link. Or scroll through it below: