Melania Trump wears designer labels worth thousands of dollars in her White House functions and official engagements. She's typically seen wearing Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, and dozens of other custom-made attire that gets people talking about costs, and whether she pays for it all herself. If it isn't that critics are bemoaning, it's the amount of money she cost taxpayers in Secret Service protection during her time at Trump Tower in New York City before moving to Washington, D.C. in June.
Furthermore, many like to point out that Michelle Obama was unfairly chided for wearing expensive clothes at White House functions.
They can't criticize one thing that the first lady is accomplishing -- saving taxpayer money inside the White House.
Melania and Michelle differ in staff demands
Open The Books, a private organization that tracks government spending reveals that Melania Trump has 19 fewer staff members in her White House staff than Michelle Obama did. Melania only has five and Michelle employed 24 (FY2009).
Forbes listed who the five employees for Melania Trump are. The small group consists of only the essential roles needed to help Mrs. Trump fulfill her duties.
The staff includes Lindsay Reynolds, who works as the first lady's Chief Of Staff ($179,700 per year); Stephanie Grisham, who works as the first lady's director of communications ($115,000 per year); Anna Niceta who works as the first lady's social secretary ($115,000 per year), Timothy Tripepi, who works as the first lady's deputy chief of staff of operations ($115,000 per year); Mary-Kathryn Fisher, who works as the first lady's deputy director of advance ($77,000 per year).
Michelle Obama had several other assistants that were made up of multiple advisors, schedulers, deputies, special assistants, and other staff. Although it seems like Melania Trump is an expensive first lady in her own way, she doesn't have the same demand in surrounding herself with a large staff in the East Wing.
It was also revealed that former First Lady Laura Bush had 18 staff members in the White House.
The number of employees a first lady has is of more interest to the American public since Melania got a lot late start filling her staff for the East Wing.
Trump administration spending less on payroll
According to the report, the Trump administration is saving taxpayers $5.1 million in payroll expenses compared to the Obama administration in FY2015.
President Trump's payroll totals $35.8 million for 377 employees in 2017; former President Obama's payroll came to $40.9 million for 476 employees in FY2015.
Are you surprised to hear that Melania Trump relies on a smaller staff than Michelle Obama did as the first lady?
