White House Director of Speechwriting

The White House Director of Speechwriting is a role within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The officeholder serves as senior advisor and chief speechwriter to the president of the United States. They are also responsible for managing the Office of Speechwriting within the Office of Communications.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

White House Director of Speechwriting
Incumbent Ross Worthington since January 20, 2025
Executive Office of the President White House Office
Appointer	President of the United States

List

Image	Name	Start	End	President
	Stephen Harmelin[6]	1964	1965		Lyndon Johnson (1963–1969)
	Harry McPherson	October 26, 1967	January 20, 1969
	Jim Keogh[7][8]	January 20, 1969	December 31, 1970		Richard Nixon (1969–1974)
	Ray Price[9][10][11]	December 31, 1970	February 6, 1973
	David Gergen[12][13][14]	February 6, 1973	August 9, 1974
	Bob Hartmann[15]	August 9, 1974	January 20, 1977		Gerald Ford (1974–1977)
	Jim Fallows[16]	January 20, 1977	November 24, 1978		Jimmy Carter (1977–1981)
	Bernie Aronson[16]	November 24, 1978	January 20, 1981
	Ken Khachigian (Chief Speechwriter)[17]	January 20, 1981	May 3, 1981		Ronald Reagan (1981–1989)
	Tony Dolan (Chief Speechwriter)[18]	May 3, 1981 Acting: May 3, 1981 – November 17, 1981	January 20, 1989
	Aram Bakshian (Director)[19]	November 17, 1981	October 19, 1983
	Ben Elliott (Director)[20][21]	October 19, 1983	June 6, 1986
	Chriss Winston	January 20, 1989	February 19, 1991		George H. W. Bush (1989–1993)
	Tony Snow[22][23]	February 19, 1991	January 20, 1993
	David Kusnet[24]	January 20, 1993	March 9, 1994		Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
	Don Baer[25]	March 9, 1994	August 14, 1995
	Michael Waldman[26]	December 22, 1995	August 9, 1999
	Terry Edmonds[27]	August 9, 1999	January 20, 2001
	Mike Gerson[28]	January 20, 2001	June 14, 2006		George W. Bush (2001–2009)
	Bill McGurn[29]	June 14, 2006	December 14, 2007
	Marc Thiessen	December 14, 2007	January 20, 2009
	Jon Favreau	January 20, 2009	March 1, 2013		Barack Obama (2009–2017)
	Cody Keenan	March 1, 2013	January 20, 2017
	Stephen Miller	January 20, 2017	January 20, 2021		Donald Trump (2017–2021)
	Vinay Reddy	January 20, 2021	January 20, 2025		Joe Biden (2021–2025)
	Ross Worthington	January 20, 2025	Incumbent		Donald Trump (2025–present)

References

1. "Department Descriptions". Clinton Presidential Center. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
2. "What They Learned in the White House: A Conversation with the Chief Speechwriters for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama". Ragan Training. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
3. Clay, Anna Katherine (May 23, 2019). "Translating Presidential Ideas into Words: Speechwriters in the White House". Miller Center of Public Affairs. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
4. "Office of Speechwriting". Clinton Presidential Center. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
5. Rogers, Katie (February 3, 2020). "The State of the Union Is Trump's Biggest Speech. Who Writes It?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
6. Bell, Susan. "This Just In: Alumna Reports from Global Hotspots". University of Southern California. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
7. "James Keogh, 89; Nixon Speechwriter, Former Time Editor". The Los Angeles Times. May 15, 2006. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
8. Nizon, Richard (December 16, 1970). "Letter to James Keogh Accepting His Resignation as Special Assistant to the President". University of California, Santa Barbara. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
9. Martin, Douglas (February 14, 2019). "Raymond K. Price Jr., 88, a Key Nixon Speechwriter, Is Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
10. "4 on Writing Staff Promoted by Nixon". The New York Times. February 6, 1973. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
11. "President Appoints MacGregor Congressional Affairs Counsel". The New York Times. December 2, 1970. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
12. "David R. Gergen Files, 1974–77". Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
13. "David R. Gergen (White House Special Files: Staff Member and Office Files)". Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
14. Kelly, Michael (October 31, 1993). "David Gergen, Master of the Game". The New York Times. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
15. "Interviews: All". National Archives and Records Administration. October 25, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
16. "White House Appoints New Chief Speechwriter". The New York Times. November 25, 1978. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
17. "Khachigian, Kenneth L.: Files, 1981" (PDF). Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. 1981. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
18. "Appointment of Anthony R. Dolan as Special Assistant to the President and Chief Speechwriter". University of California, Santa Barbara. November 17, 1981. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
19. "Nominations & Appointments, November 17, 1981". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. November 17, 1991. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
20. "Appointment of Bently T. Elliott as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting". University of California, Santa Barbara. October 19, 1983. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
21. "Reagan's Speechwriter Says He Was Dismissed in Dispute". The New York Times. June 10, 1986. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
22. "Appointment of Robert A. Snow as Deputy Assistant to the President for Communications and Director of Speechwriting". George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. February 19, 1991. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
23. "Appointment of Robert Anthony Snow as Deputy Assistant to the President for Media Affairs". George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. January 20, 1992. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
24. "David Kusnet". The American Prospect. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
25. "Appointment of Deputy Assistant to the President for Speechwriting and Research". University of California, Santa Barbara. March 9, 1994. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
26. "Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)". Government Publishing Office. December 22, 1995. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
27. Harris, John F. (August 9, 1999). "Cheryl Mills Rejects Clinton Offer to Become White House Counsel". The New York Times. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
28. Burkeman, Oliver (June 15, 2006). "Bush Speechwriter Resigns". The Guardian. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
29. "Statement on the Resignation of William McGurn and the Appointment of Marc Thiessen as Assistant to the President for Speechwriting". University of California, Santa Barbara. December 14, 2007. Retrieved July 19, 2021.