Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, is set to leave in the next weeks, but the Biden administration has yet to choose her successor, according to two individuals familiar with the issue, Reuters reports.
Multiple sources inside and outside the White House told Reuters that Karine Jean-Pierre, deputy press secretary for the White House, and John Kirby, a spokesman for the Department of Defense, have long been regarded as leading contenders to succeed Psaki. Kirby is well-respected in Washington but lacks a longstanding experience with Biden.
According to the two sources, Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, who recently made her briefing room debut and has immediately pleased many in Washington with her confidence in addressing questions, is also being considered.
Bedingfield, who served as Vice President Joe Biden’s spokeswoman and was an early presidential campaign employee, has not indicated an interest in the post during this administration, despite having previously discussed the press secretary position, according to one of the individuals.
According to Reuters, Jen Psaki is anticipated to continue in the post until the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the end of the month. She intends to join MSNBC, according to Axios, which cited an unidentified person close to the situation.
“Well, you can’t get rid of me yet,” Psaki remarked when asked about the rumors at the White House on Friday. She stated that she had no further intentions to confirm and was glad to be back in the newsroom after being quarantined after a positive COVID-19 test.
Psaki stated in January 2021 that she intended to leave the post after a year. She stated at a conference in June that she had the flexibility to remain on longer if necessary.
Psaki’s fast, information-packed press conferences, punctuated by cordial greetings or scathing interactions with reporters, helped characterize Biden’s early administration. They stood in stark contrast to the president’s less precise delivery and the previous Trump administration’s hostile attitude toward the media.
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