White House staff operations. John Podesta was the last person to hold the position before he left to join the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign of 2016 as chairman. Soon after the 2016 election, President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to name his campaign manager during the general election, Kellyanne Conway, to the position and his campaign CEO Steve Bannon as a senior counselor and chief strategist. With equivalent standing to the chief of staff and a portfolio that hewed closely to the pre-Clinton iteration of the position, Bannon was named to the Principals Committee of the National Security Council in a January 2017 executive order that also removed the director of national intelligence and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from the committee. Following vociferous public opposition to the decision, Trump removed Bannon from the council in April 2017. After Bannon's departure from the White House in August 2017, Johnny DeStefano was appointed to the job in February 2018, with responsibility for overseeing the offices of presidential personnel, political affairs, and public liaison. In February 2020, it was announced that former White House communications director Hope Hicks would return to the White House Office in the role. In May 2020, White House staff secretary Derek Lyons was also given the title of counselor. President Joe Biden named Steve Ricchetti, the chairman of his 2020 presidential campaign, as counselor to the president upon taking office. Jeffrey Zients was also given the title in his role as White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator. List of counselors to the president Counselors to President Richard Nixon (1969–1974) All of President Nixon's counselors were members of his Cabinet during their tenure. Counselors to President Gerald Ford (1974–1977) All of President Fords's counselors were members of his Cabinet during their tenure. Counselors to President Jimmy Carter (1977–1981) President Carter did not appoint any counselors during his tenure in the White House. Counselors to President Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) President Reagan only appointed a counselor during his first term in the White House. Counselors to President George H.W. Bush (1989–1993) President Bush only appointed a counselor, who was a member of his Cabinet during the last 11 months of his single term in the White House. The position was vacant for the first 3 years of his presidency. Counselors to President Bill Clinton (1993–2001) President Clinton did not appoint a counselor for the first 5 months of