Washington: US President Joe Biden named Karine Jean-Pierre as the next White House press secretary on Thursday, the first Black person to hold the high-profile post. Jean-Pierre, who will also be the first openly LGBTQ+ person in the role, will replace Jen Psaki, under whom she served as deputy, from May 13.
‘I am proud to announce that Karine Jean-Pierre will serve as the next White House Press Secretary’, an official statement from President Biden read. ‘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’, the statement said.
‘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 her service to the country, and wish her the very best as she moves forward’, it added.
Karine Jean-Pierre is currently serving as the Principal Deputy Press Secretary and Deputy Assistant to the President. Karine is a long-time advisor to President Biden, having served in senior communication and political roles in the Biden Administration, the Biden campaign, and to then-Vice President Biden in the Obama Administration. It was in New York that she took her first steps into politics before also becoming a leading figure in the non-profit sphere, having graduated from the prestigious Columbia University.
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Jean-Pierre has often said her family’s background, emblematic of the ‘American dream,’ was a determining factor in her career. An advocate for combatting mental health stigma, the new White House spokeswoman has also shared her own stories of being sexually abused as a child and suffering from depression.
The White House also announced the return of Anita Dunn as a Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President. Dunn rejoins the White House staff from her communications and political consulting firm SKDK, and will assist in advancing the President’s policy and communications objectives.
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