White House Statement
May 05, 2022

Karine Jean-Pierre will become the new White House press secretary when Jen Psaki departs her role next week, President Joe Biden announced in a statement Thursday, becoming the first Black and out LGBTQ person to hold the position.

Jean-Pierre currently serves as the White House's principal deputy press secretary.

"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," Biden said in a statement, adding that "Jen Psaki has set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House Briefing Room."

Jean-Pierre will formally begin following Psaki's last day, which will be May 13. CNN reported in April that Psaki was planning on leaving her role for one at MSNBC.

Last May, Jean-Pierre became the second Black woman in history to hold the daily press briefing. She has served on the White House's senior communications team since Biden took office and before that was an adviser to his campaign and chief of staff to now-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Jean-Pierre's family includes her partner, CNN national correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, and their daughter.

Jean-Pierre is familiar with her new role. She is often in the room when Psaki briefs reporters, has filled in for her for at the lectern and has also gaggled with reporters traveling with Biden on Air Force One. Recently, she replaced Psaki at the last minute for Biden's four-day trip to Europe amid the Russian invasion after Psaki tested positive for Covid-19 the day before Biden was scheduled to leave.

Psaki's departure is unsurprising, given she had been public about her plan to leave after one year on the job. Several names had been under consideration to replace her, including Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, who has become a visible face of the administration in briefings and on cable television since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.

Psaki on Twitter said she was "grateful" to Biden and first lady Jill Biden, and described Jean-Pierre as a "remarkable woman."

"Representation matters and she will give a voice to many, but also make many dream big about what is truly possible," Psaki wrote.

Psaki added, "I can't wait to see her shine as she brings her own style, brilliance and grace to the podium."

The staffing shakeup in the press office comes as the White House is making several other personnel moves in preparation for a potential Republican takeover on Capitol Hill in the midterm elections. One of Biden's closest advisers, Anita Dunn, will return to the West Wing as a senior adviser, as his team also shores up the White House counsel's office, given Republicans have promised to launch a slew of investigations if they retake the majority.

This story has been updated with additional developments on Thursday.

Jean-Pierre was born in Fort-de-France, on the island of Martinique to Haitian parents, and was raised in Queens Village, New York City, a residential middle class neighborhood. She is a graduate of the New York Institute of Technology, and received her MPA from the School of International and Public Affairs, at Columbia University (SIPA) in 2003.

Jean-Pierre was the southeast regional political director for John Edwards' presidential campaign in 2008, then
during the Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign, Jean-Pierre was the campaign's southeast regional political director and was the regional political director for the White House Office of Political Affairs during the Obama administration's first term.

In 2011, Jean-Pierre served as National Deputy Battleground States Director for President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign. She led the delegate selection and ballot access process and managed the political engagement in key states."

In April 2016, MoveOn.org named Jean-Pierre a senior advisor and national spokesperson for the 2016 presidential election. In a press release announcing the hire, MoveOn said she would "advise on and serve as a spokesperson around MoveOn's electoral work, including a major effort to stand up to Donald Trump."

On June 1, 2019, Jean-Pierre moderated a MoveOn forum featuring then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris when an animal-rights activist jumped onto the stage and rushed at Harris, grabbing her microphone. Jean-Pierre intervened physically, standing between Harris and the protester until security, including Harris's husband Doug Emhoff, removed the man from the stage.

In January 2019, Jean-Pierre became a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.

Jean-Pierre worked as a senior advisor to the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign. In August 2020, it was announced that Jean-Pierre would serve as the Chief of Staff for Biden's vice presidential nominee, before it was announced who the candidate would be.

On November 29, 2020, the Biden-Harris transition team announced that Jean-Pierre had been tapped to be the Principal Deputy Press Secretary.

She was with the Obama Administration for its full eight years, and with Joe Biden since his campaign began.

The LGBTQ people I've met through the years have been extremely selfish, self-centered, self-absorbed, and almost infantile in their self-focus and self-importance.

This bare bones resume' indicates to me, she will not be intimidated by questioning, nor will she be embarrassed or shamed whenever anyone attempts to point out the grievous errors of this administration in its actions, priorities and doctrines. She will attempt to mask her indifference, but she will be indifferent to their concerns.