White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will replace Jen Psaki as White House Press Secretary, President Biden announced Thursday.
Psaki will leave the White House on May 13 with his departure expected imminently. Longtime top Democratic adviser Anita Dunn also returns to the White House as senior adviser, focusing on the president’s policy and communication goals.
Evan Vucci/AP
“Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity required for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead communication on the work of the Biden-Harris Administration on behalf of the American people,” Biden said in a statement. statement. “Jill and I have known and respected Karine for a long time and she will be a strong voice speaking for me and this administration.
The president has asked Jean-Pierre to serve as press secretary next Thursday in the Oval Office, Psaki said. The president also praised Psaki, an Obama administration veteran who served as Biden’s first White House press secretary.
“Jen Psaki has set the standard for bringing decency, respect and decorum back to the White House briefing room,” the president continued. “I want to thank Jen for raising the bar, communicating directly and honestly with the American people and keeping her sense of humor in doing so. I appreciate Jen for her service to the country and wish her well as she does. She moves forward.”
DunnA longtime political operative who also worked for the Obama White House, he was a top adviser in the White House at the start of Mr. Biden’s term and during his presidential campaign.
Jean-Pierre, who will be the White House’s first black press secretary, occasionally filled in for Psaki at the lectern in the White House briefing room and fielded questions from reporters aboard Air Force One.
Jean-Pierre, 44, was born in France and is an associate of CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux. They have a little daughter. He worked for the Biden and Obama campaigns, and has served as a political analyst for NBC and MSNBC.
The role of White House press secretary is notoriously difficult, requiring a solid understanding of domestic and international politics, as well as the ability to respond quickly to questions from a room of dozens of reporters.
kathryn watson
