Washington, January 27: US president Barack Obama is to freeze salaries of senior White House officials and other top political appointees, a senior administration official said on Tuesday.
The official confirmed a Washington Post report that said the decision would likely be mentioned in Obama’s State of the Union address on Wednesday.
The newspaper said the decision would affect White House officials earning more than $1,00,000 and other top administration appointees, including politically appointed ambassadors – about 1,200 people in total.
The step would be largely symbolic as the savings will be minimal.
Obama, who is under public pressure to rein in the record US deficit and government spending, is also expected to announce a three-year freeze on spending on some domestic programs, saving $250 billion dollars by 2020, officials told earlier.
—-Agencies