In a bid to show solidarity with those hit by automatic federal budget cuts, the White House on Wednesday announced that President Obama will give up 5 percent of his pay starting with the month of March, totaling about $17,000 for the rest of this year.
The gesture to federal workers facing furloughs and others hit by the sequester comes as some other top officials - like the Secretary of Defense - have said they will give up part of their pay as well.
"The salary for the President, as with Members of Congress, is set by law and cannot be changed," a White House aide explained.
"However, the President has decided that to share in the sacrifice being made by public servants across the federal government that are affected by the sequester, he will contribute a portion of his salary back to the Treasury."
The move could also lead to questions for individual members of Congress as to whether or not they should also give up part of their salary because of the sequester.
"Your move Congress," remarked one of my Twitter followers.
As mentioned above by the White House, the Constitution does not allow changes in the salary of a President or the Congress until after an intervening election - it doesn't matter whether it is a pay cut or a pay increase; so any change would have to be voluntary.
The decision also came after several days of mounting questions at the White House briefing over how the automatic cuts would impact the West Wing, and aides who work more closely with the President.
It was not clear if any of those aides, or any high ranking Cabinet officials would join in the President's move to give back some of their 2013 salary.
The President will write a monthly check to the U.S. Treasury, starting retroactively with the month of March.
