Chief of Staff

noun

1. the senior officer of the U.S. Army or Air Force, a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responsible to the secretary of a service branch.
2. (lowercase) the senior or principal staff officer in a brigade or division or higher unit in the U.S. Army or Marine Corps, in a numbered unit in the U.S. Air Force, or in a unit in the U.S. Navy commanded by a rear admiral or one of higher rank.
3. (lowercase) the senior officer in command of a general staff, especially that of the military forces of a nation.
4. (lowercase) the head of any staff:

   the chief of staff for the First Lady.

Chief of Staff

noun

1. the senior staff officer under the commander of a major military formation or organization
2. the senior officer of each service of the armed forces

Word History and Origins

Origin of Chief of Staff¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Stephen Miller, the author of some of Trump’s harshest immigration enforcement tactics, including family separation during his first term, was chosen last week as his deputy chief of staff.

From Los Angeles Times

Stephen Miller, the top Trump adviser on immigration who has been picked as deputy chief of staff for policy, has previously said the Trump administration would build vast holding facilities to serve as staging centres for mass deportations.

From BBC

At the time people were talking about him as a good bet for chief of staff but Trump chose his campaign manager Susie Wiles instead.

From Salon

The Trump transition team has responded to the disclosure with its characteristic bravado, insisting that Hegseth did nothing wrong and will indeed be confirmed by the Senate.; this, despite the fact that incoming White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was blindsided by the allegation of misconduct, according to Vanity Fair.

From Salon

Speaking to the London Assembly’s budget committee, Richard Watts, the mayor's deputy chief of staff, said “the scheme has been enormously successful” and “all the benefits that we hoped we would see based on previous evidence we are now seeing city wide”.

From BBC