Karine Jean-Pierre to replace Jen Psaki as White House Press Secretary

Ms Jean-Pierre will be the first Black and first openly LGBT+ person to serve as White House press secretary when she takes over the job from Jen Psaki

White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC on December 16, 2021 (AFP via Getty Images)

White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will succeed Jen Psaki as White House Press Secretary when Ms Psaki departs government service on 13 May, President Joe Biden said in a statement on Thursday.

“I am proud to announce that Karine Jean-Pierre will serve as the next White House Press Secretary,” said Mr Biden, who said Ms Jean-Pierre “not only brings the experience, talent and integrity needed for this difficult job,” but would “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,” he said.

Mr Biden also praised Ms Psaki, who served as the State Department’s top spokesperson from 2013 to 2015 and spent 2015 to 2017 in the White House as then-president Barack Obama’s communications director, for “returning decency, respect, and decorum” to the White House briefing room, and thanked her for “raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and keeping her sense of humour while doing so”.

“I thank Jen for her service to the country, and wish her the very best as she moves forward,” he said.

Ms Jean-Pierre, who will be the first openly LGBT+ and first Black person to serve as a president’s top spokesperson, has served as Ms Psaki’s top deputy since Mr Biden took office on 20 January 2021. She joined Mr Biden’s presidential campaign-Senator Kamala Harris in 2020, after serving as chief public affairs officer for MoveOn.org and as an NBC News political analyst.

As Ms Psaki’s principal deputy, she has stepped in for her boss to brief reporters and serve as Mr Biden’s top press aide on multiple occasions, including during Mr Biden’s March 2022 trip to attend an emergency Nato leaders summit to discuss Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and his November 2021 trip to last year’s G20 summit.

When she first filled in at the James Brady Briefing Room lectern in May 2021, Ms Jean-Pierre became the first Black woman to speak for the White House since Judy Smith — a deputy press secretary under then-president George HW Bush, did so in 1991.

At the time, Ms Jean-Pierre said: “I appreciate the historic nature, I really do. But I believe being behind this podium, being in this room, being in this building, is not about one person. It’s about what we do on behalf of the American people”.

Asked for her feelings on the historic nature of her promotion during Thursday’s White House press briefing, she first chose to thank Ms Psaki, who she described as “a wonderful colleague,” “a friend,” and “a mentor” during the year-and-a-half they’ve worked together in the White House.

“I don't think I would be here without so many people — including her — and she is just a true, solid, amazing person,” Ms Jean-Pierre said.

“This is a historic moment and it's not lost on me. I understand how important it is for so many people out there in so many different communities that I stand on their shoulders, and I have been throughout my career. And so it is an honor and a privilege to be behind this podium,” she continued, adding that she would “do [her] best” to represent not only Mr Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, but the American people as well.

“I hope that I make people proud,” she said.

Writing on Twitter, Ms Psaki, who is expected to accept a position with MSNBC hosting a show on the Peacock streaming service, called her soon-to-be successor a “remarkable woman” with “decades of experience from her early years working in government and politics in [New York City], to her years as an outspoken advocate, to serving as a long-time advisor to [Mr Biden] back when he was the VP”.

“She is passionate. She is smart and she has a moral core that makes her not just a great colleague, but an amazing Mom and human. Plus, she has a great sense of humour,” she added.

Other White House officials took to Twitter to offer praise for both Ms Psaki and Ms Jean-Pierre.

White House chief of staff Ron Klain recalled that he'd “had the honour” of working alongside several presidential press secretaries, and said “no one has ever done the job as well” as Ms Psaki.

White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, who said she has worked with Ms Jean-Pierre “in different roles for 15 years,” said she would “bring smarts, integrity, grace and good humor to this important job”.