TRUMP’S TIGHT SHIP: Admin Doing More With Less, White House Payroll Lowest in 16 Years: Report

According to a new report from Open The Books, President Trump’s White House is running leaner than any White House payroll in the last 16 years. In 2025, the White House payroll came in at $44.1 million for 404 employees — the lowest inflation-adjusted total since at least 2009, according to watchdog group Open The Books. It marks a sharp 29% drop from the Biden administration’s $62.2 million tab for 565 staffers the year before. But the real story is who’s not drawing a paycheck. Marco Rubio, in his role as National Security Advisor, works for free. So does tech


