WASHINGTON ( Associated Press) – President Joe Biden named Karine Jean-Pierre as the next White House press secretary on Thursday, with incumbent Jen Psaki set to step down from the role next week.
Biden is also bringing back longtime Democratic strategist Anita Dunn as his senior adviser. He served in the Biden White House for several months last year after Biden was sworn in.
Biden praised in a statement, saying, “Kareen not only brings the experience, talent, and integrity necessary to this difficult job, but she is leading the way in communicating the work of the Biden-Harris administration on behalf of the American people.” will continue to do so.” Jean-Pierre, who has served as their principal deputy press secretary since Inauguration Day.
Psaki, who left the White House on May 13, praised her successor, noting the importance of the history-making appointment.
“She will be the first black woman and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as White House press secretary,” Psaki said. “Representation matters and she will give voice to many, but also raises many dreams about what is actually possible.”
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Before joining Biden’s presidential campaign, Jean-Pierre was the chief public affairs officer of the progressive group MoveOn.org and a former political analyst for NBC and MSNBC. He also worked on political affairs in the Obama White House and on his re-election campaign.
When she took the job, Saki, who has two young children, publicly stated that she aimed to stay in the job for about a year.
Biden said Psaki “set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House briefing room.”
“I want to thank Jane for raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and maintaining her sense of humor while doing so,” Biden said. “I thank Jane for her service to the country, and wish her the best of luck as she moves forward.”
Dunn is a partner at Democratic consulting firm SKDK, and was a senior adviser to Biden’s 2020 campaign and former chief strategist and communications director for President Barack Obama. The White House said it was returning to “assist to advance the president’s policy and communications objectives.”
