White House Executive Office Staff Who Have Served the Shortest Terms

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.