Office of the First Lady of the United States

History

Though the persona, activities, and initiatives of the first lady have always been significant to the history of the United States, the first first lady to hire federally-funded staff was Edith Roosevelt, who hired Belle Hagner as the first White House social secretary on October 2, 1901. Eleanor Roosevelt became the first first lady to expand the office beyond social and administrative secretaries by hiring Malvina Thompson as her personal secretary and Jackie Kennedy was the first to employ a press secretary.

Under Rosalynn Carter, the first lady's staff became known as the Office of the First Lady. She organized the office into four major departments: projects and community liaison, press and research, schedule and advance, and social and personal; and was the first to add a chief of staff. She was also the first to move her own work office into the East Wing. Though the role of the office has grown over the years, it primarily supports the first lady in promoting the agenda and campaigns of the president. Further to that, it provides support for the agenda of the first lady, who chooses causes and initiatives to campaign for during their time at the White House.

At the time of the East Wing demolition in October 2025, which was being done to make room for the White House State Ballroom, plans were made to transfer the Office of the First Lady to the Executive Residence, split between the Vermeil Room, the South Mezzanine, the Library and the China Room. In November 2025, President Trump responded to these rumors saying Melania initially "loved her little tiny office" but quickly came around to support the renovation.

Organization

The first lady, Melania Trump, has her own staff. The information in the table below shows the key members of the current staff. On October 23, 2025, however, it was revealed that she had now "eschewed the nation's capital for New York and Palm Beach" and now employed a "skeletal staff"

References

References

1. "Rosalynn Carter—Miller Center".
2. "The First Lady & Her Role - The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum".
3. "Executive Office of the President". United States Government.
4. (2025-10-26). "The East Wing is gone. Here's why it's been called 'the heart' of the nation.". The Washington Post.
5. Klein, Betsy. (October 23, 2025). "Melania Trump has been silent on demolition of the East Wing, home to first ladies for decades". CNN.
6. "TR Center - Isabella Hagner".
7. "Malvina Thompson".
8. (21 February 1962). "First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's Press Secretary Pamela Turnure Accepts Gift Recording of Pablo Casals' White House Concert". John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
9. (27 October 2025). "How Trump Barreled Through D.C.'s Bureaucracy to Get His White House Ballroom". The Wall Street Journal.
10. Manchester, Julia. (27 October 2025). "Melania Trump privately raised concerns about tearing down East Wing: Report". The Hill.
11. (10 November 2025). "Donald Trump Responds to Report That Melania Disapproves of New Ballroom". Newsweek.
12. "Nick Clemens - White House (Jan. 2025-), Special Assistant to the President/Communications Director for the First Lady - Biography {{!}} LegiStorm".
13. (July 1, 2025). "2025 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff". [[Executive Office of the President of the United States]].