Powerful presidential appointee (4)
I believe the answer is:
czar
'powerful presidential appointee' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for czar that I've seen before include "person of great power" , "Russian emperor" , "Pre-1917 Russian ruler" , "Despot" , "Russian ruler (alt. but not rare spelling)" .)