Stephanie Grisham Salary: Melania Trump's Ex-Aide Among Highest-Paid White House Staffers

Stephanie Grisham was among the highest-paid staffers in the Trump White House before she resigned in the wake of the violent protests in the Capitol Wednesday.

Grisham was paid $183,000 annually for her position as chief of staff for first lady Melania Trump, according to the White House's 2020 salary report. She tied with 21 other White House staffers, including Kellyanne Conway and Stephen Miller, for the highest salary.

Grisham submitted her resignation Wednesday, effective immediately, after a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol protesting the result of the 2020 election, CNN reported. Both she and White House social secretary Anna Cristina "Rickie" Niceta, who also resigned Wednesday, were among the longest-serving staffers in the Trump administration.

In July 2019, Grisham replaced Sarah Sanders as White House press secretary and White House communications director. Before becoming press secretary, she served as deputy press secretary under Sean Spicer and was later hired as a communications director by the first lady. However, her stint as press secretary was short-lived and she eventually assumed the role of chief of staff for Melania.

Before joining Trump's campaign in 2015, Grisham was part of Sen. Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential team.

On the personal side, Grisham was once previously married to Dan Marries, with whom she shares a son. She has another child whose father is not publicly known.

Her public relations skills were honed when she worked for AAA Arizona. She left the agency amid accusations that she falsified travel and expenses claims. Just like her PR work, the 44-year-old also had a shaky stint in the White House. The Colorado native never held a press briefing in her time as press secretary.

Grisham often said in the past that the demands of her work had taken their toll on her personal life. Aside from political reasons, her resignation may have been related to her desire to spend more time with her children.

Joining her in the White House exodus are former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. In her resignation letter, obtained by USA Today, DeVos criticized Trump for inciting a violent mob to attack the Capitol.