Senior Advisor to the President is a title used by high-ranking political advisors to the president of the United States. Senior advisors to the president do not have formal government decision making authority, but they can have significant influence over decisions. Their role is to provide strategic advice, analysis, and recommendations to the president on key issues.
White House senior advisors are senior members of the White House Office. The title has been formally used since 1993.
Over time, a senior advisor has had responsibility for the following groups:
White House departments (previously headed by a senior advisor in past administrations)
In prior administrations before 1993, the position of "senior advisor" was a title used for various other purposes. Numerous examples of the position also exist throughout the executive departments and in the branch's independent agencies. For example, the Food and Drug Administration includes a position with the title Senior Advisor for Science; the Department of the Interior has a position with the title Senior Advisor for Alaskan Affairs.
Examples of people who had the responsibilities and/or influence of a senior advisor without the title included Edward M. House (to Woodrow Wilson) and Louis Howe (to Franklin D. Roosevelt)