Personal aide to the president of the United States

President Biden's personal aide Jacob Spreyer prepares the podium for a presidential speech.

A personal assistant^[1] who accompanies the president of the United States virtually everywhere is generally referred to as a body man or body woman, but in some cases may be referred to as a personal aide. These personal aides to the president are often responsible for arranging and providing: lodging; transportation; interactions with media, public, and family; meals; personal briefings and briefing papers; logistical instructions; speech cards; snacks; cell phones; and any other necessary assistance.^[2] Such personal aides exist for many politicians aside from presidents, but the most famous have included personal aides to the president, as described below.^[3]

History

Upon taking office in 1969, Richard Nixon expanded and professionalized the White House Office staff.^[4] A new position was created, Personal Aide to the President. Previously this role had largely been filled by a White House valet.^[5] This role remained, but unlike the valet, the Personal Aide to the President travels wherever the president goes whereas the valet always remains stationed at the White House.

List

President Richard Nixon

Stephen Bull^[6]

President Gerald Ford

Terrence O’Donnell^[7]
Gregory Willard^[8]

President Jimmy Carter

Timothy Kraft^[9]
Phil Wise^[10]

President Ronald Reagan

David Fischer^[11]
Jim Kuhn^[12]

President George H. W. Bush

Timothy McBride^[13]
Michal Dannenhauer^[14]
David Bates^[15]
Tom Frechette^[14]

President Bill Clinton

Douglas Band^[16]
Kris Engskov^[17]

President George W. Bush

Logan Walters
Blake Gottesman^[18]
Jared Weinstein^{[citation needed]}
Freddy Ford^[19]
Sam Sutton^[20]
Fidel Medina^[20]

President Barack Obama

Reggie Love^[21]
Marvin Nicholson^[22]

President Donald Trump

John McEntee (2017–2018)^[23]
Jordan Karem (2018–2019)^[24]
Nicholas F. Luna (2019–2021)^[24]
Christopher Ambrosini (2025–present)^[25]

President Joe Biden

Stephen Goepfert (2021–2022)^[26]^[27]
Jacob Spreyer (2022–2025)^[28]^[29]

In popular culture

This role has been portrayed in fiction:

Dulé Hill as Charlie Young, in The West Wing
Tony Hale as Gary Walsh, in Veep

References

^ Olito, Frank. "7 unusual jobs people have in the White House — and what they pay". Business Insider. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
^ "A Conversation With The "Body Man" Who Spent Six Years At President Obama's Side". mic.com. February 5, 2015. Archived from the original on December 17, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ Wilgoren, Jodi (April 28, 2004). "Part Butler and Part Buddy, Aide Keeps Kerry Running". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
^ "Delivery". www.sfu.ca. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
^ "Presidential Valets". WHHA (en-US). Retrieved June 28, 2024.
^ "Stephen B. Bull (White House Special Files: Staff Member and Office Files) | Richard Nixon Museum and Library".
^ "Terrence O'Donnell Files". www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Greg Willard". May 30, 2013. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Records of Tim Kraft, Special Assistant to the President: A Guide to Its Records at the Jimmy Carter Library" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Phil Wise". www.cartercenter.org. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ Lee, Joshua (September 3, 2013). "Charter class grad worked for President Reagan". The Daily Universe. Archived from the original on February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
^ "James F. Kuhn". broaddusassociates.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Timothy J. McBride Oral History, Personal Aide to the President; Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development; Assistant to the President for Management". Miller Center. October 27, 2016. Archived from the original on February 23, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "41 Storytellers". 41 on 41. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Friends, former aides remember what made George H.W. Bush 'the kind of person I want as president'". PBS NewsHour. December 3, 2018. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Doug Band". Teneo. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Starbucks Executive Kris Engskov Joins Aegis Living As President As The Company Opens A New Chapter On Premium Care Quality And Growth". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "Blake Gottesman". www.berkshirepartners.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ "George W. Bush's longtime chief of staff to step down". Dallas News. November 17, 2017. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ ^a ^b Sam Childers. "Presidential Valets Confidantes of the Wardrobe".
^ "Reggie Love on life as Obama's "chief of stuff"". Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ Wilcox, LeAnn (January 13, 2017). "Late-Term Role for Obama: Groomsman in Chief". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
^ Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Diamond and Jeff Zeleny (March 13, 2018). "Longtime Trump aide fired over financial crime investigation". CNN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Trump's 'body guy' plans to leave White House soon: officials". Reuters. November 26, 2018. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
^ "Annual report to congress on white house office personnel" (PDF). www.whitehouse.gov.
^ "Biden team announces new staff picks, highlighting effort to 'build an administration that looks like America'". PBS. December 30, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
^ "The Whitehouse" (PDF).
^ Mattingly, Phil (August 23, 2022). "Biden's 'bodyman' and close confidant to depart the White House". CNN. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
^ "The Whitehouse" (PDF).

[1] Olito, Frank. "7 unusual jobs people have in the White House — and what they pay". Business Insider. Retrieved June 28, 2024.

[2] "A Conversation With The "Body Man" Who Spent Six Years At President Obama's Side". mic.com. February 5, 2015. Archived from the original on December 17, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[3] Wilgoren, Jodi (April 28, 2004). "Part Butler and Part Buddy, Aide Keeps Kerry Running". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.

[4] "Delivery". www.sfu.ca. Retrieved June 28, 2024.

[5] "Presidential Valets". WHHA (en-US). Retrieved June 28, 2024.

[6] "Stephen B. Bull (White House Special Files: Staff Member and Office Files) | Richard Nixon Museum and Library".

[7] "Terrence O'Donnell Files". www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[8] "Greg Willard". May 30, 2013. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[9] "Records of Tim Kraft, Special Assistant to the President: A Guide to Its Records at the Jimmy Carter Library" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[10] "Phil Wise". www.cartercenter.org. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[11] Lee, Joshua (September 3, 2013). "Charter class grad worked for President Reagan". The Daily Universe. Archived from the original on February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.

[12] "James F. Kuhn". broaddusassociates.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[13] "Timothy J. McBride Oral History, Personal Aide to the President; Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Trade Development; Assistant to the President for Management". Miller Center. October 27, 2016. Archived from the original on February 23, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2019.

[auto1-14] "41 Storytellers". 41 on 41. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[15] "Friends, former aides remember what made George H.W. Bush 'the kind of person I want as president'". PBS NewsHour. December 3, 2018. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[16] "Doug Band". Teneo. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[17] "Starbucks Executive Kris Engskov Joins Aegis Living As President As The Company Opens A New Chapter On Premium Care Quality And Growth". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[18] "Blake Gottesman". www.berkshirepartners.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[19] "George W. Bush's longtime chief of staff to step down". Dallas News. November 17, 2017. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[Childers-20] Sam Childers. "Presidential Valets Confidantes of the Wardrobe".

[21] "Reggie Love on life as Obama's "chief of stuff"". Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[22] Wilcox, LeAnn (January 13, 2017). "Late-Term Role for Obama: Groomsman in Chief". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019 – via NYTimes.com.

[23] Kaitlan Collins, Jeremy Diamond and Jeff Zeleny (March 13, 2018). "Longtime Trump aide fired over financial crime investigation". CNN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.

[auto-24] "Trump's 'body guy' plans to leave White House soon: officials". Reuters. November 26, 2018. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019 – via www.reuters.com.

[25] "Annual report to congress on white house office personnel" (PDF). www.whitehouse.gov.

[26] "Biden team announces new staff picks, highlighting effort to 'build an administration that looks like America'". PBS. December 30, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.

[27] "The Whitehouse" (PDF).

[28] Mattingly, Phil (August 23, 2022). "Biden's 'bodyman' and close confidant to depart the White House". CNN. Retrieved August 24, 2022.

[29] "The Whitehouse" (PDF).

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Personal aide to the president of the United States

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Personal aide to the president of the United States

Personal aide to the president of the United States

Personal aide to the president of the United States

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Personal aide to the president of the United States

History

List

President Richard Nixon

President Gerald Ford

President Jimmy Carter

President Ronald Reagan

President George H. W. Bush

President Bill Clinton

President George W. Bush

President Barack Obama

President Donald Trump

President Joe Biden

In popular culture

See also

References

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