White House press secretary Jen Psaki will step down from her post on May 13 and current deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will take over her duties, the White House announced Thursday.
Ms. Jean-Pierre, who has served as one of Ms. Psaki’s top deputies since the Biden administration began last year, will become the first Black and openly LGBTQ person to hold the position of White House press secretary.
President Biden sent Ms. Psaki off with high praise.
“Jen Psaki has set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House Briefing Room. I want to say thank you to Jen for raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and keeping her sense of humor while doing so. I thank Jen for her service to the country, and wish her the very best as she moves forward,” Mr. Biden said in his statement.
The White House did not say where Ms. Psaki was headed, but her departure was widely expected for months. Reports surfaced last month that she was headed to MSNBC where she will likely land her own television show.
Facing criticism that she was answering questions from news outlets in the briefing room while negotiating contracts with their management, Ms. Psaki insisted she checked with the White House counsel’s office and did not break any rules.
Ms. Psaki had ducked multiple questions during press briefings about reports she was departing the Biden administration for MSNBC.
“I have nothing to confirm about my length of public service or planned service or anything about consideration about next plans,” Ms. Psaki said during the first briefing where reports surfaced. “My focus every day continues to be speaking on behalf of the president.”
Ms. Jean-Pierre will take over one of the most high-profile and demanding jobs in Washington. She will be explaining the administration’s agenda and fielding questions from the White House press corps at daily briefings.
She was widely seen as the favorite for the job, though White House communications director Kate Bedingfield emerged as a potential candidate after she filled in while Ms. Psaki was quarantined at home after testing positive for COVID-19.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price and Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby were also seen as candidates.
Ms. Jean-Pierre will take over the podium in the middle of political upheaval. Mr. Biden’s approval ratings are mired in the low 40s, inflation is vexing the nation and war is raging in Ukraine.
In addition, Democrats could face a disastrous midterm election in November leaving Republicans in charge of the House and Senate. If that happens, Ms. Jean-Pierre could face tough questions about GOP-led investigations and a hostile Congress.
“Karine not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job, but she will continue to lead the way in communicating about the work of the Biden-Harris Administration on behalf of the American people. Jill and I have known and respected Karine a long time and she will be a strong voice speaking for me and this Administration,” Mr. Biden said in a statement.
Last year, Ms. Psaki had signaled her plans to step down in the spring of 2022 during an interview with former Obama administration official David Axelrod.
In the interview, she said it was going to soon be time “for somebody else to have this job.”
Ms. Psaki had received high marks from some reporters in the briefing room who viewed her as trying to build back the relationship between the White House and reporters after the Trump administration stopped holding daily press briefings. But other reporters fiercely criticized her for rarely calling on reporters who sit past the briefing room’s first three rows, where legacy outlets sit.
The White House also announced Anita Dunn will return as senior adviser and assistant to the president. Ms. Dunn rejoins the Biden administration after working with communications and political consulting firm SKDK.
She will assist in advancing the president’s policy and communications objectives, the White House said.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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