White House picks first black, gay press secretary
US President Joe Biden said he has chosen Karine Jean-Pierre to be White House press secretary, succeeding Jen Psaki and becoming the first black and openly gay person to serve as the public face of a US administration.
Psaki, who leaves the job on May 13, had said early in the Biden administration, which started in January of 2021, that she planned to stay about a year.
Jean-Pierre has served as deputy press secretary since the beginning of Biden’s term. She worked on his 2020 presidential campaign, in Barack Obama’s White House, and was chief public affairs officer for MoveOn.org, a progressive advocacy group.
Biden has pledged to name top officials, cabinet members and judges who reflect the diversity of America, where white people make up less than 60 per cent of the population.
But white people have traditionally held most of the leading government jobs.
“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.
The press secretary is the highest profile public-facing staff job in the White House.
“I hope that I make people proud,” Jean-Pierre told reporters, calling it an emotional day.
Dee Dee Meyers became the first woman to have the job in the 1990s under former president Bill Clinton.
Psaki was named by Biden after Republican former president Donald Trump’s tumultuous relations with the media.
“Jen Psaki has set the standard for returning decency, respect and decorum to the White House Briefing Room,” Biden said, thanking her for “raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and keeping her sense of humour while doing so”.
Psaki is known for a confident, no-nonsense, rapid-fire delivery from the White House podium. Jean-Pierre, who was chief of staff for Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2020, has tended to stick closely to talking points during her press appearances as Psaki’s deputy.
Psaki said Biden had offered Jean-Pierre the job during an Oval Office meeting on Thursday.
“I can’t wait to see her shine as she brings her own style, brilliance and grace to the podium,” Psaki said on Twitter.
Psaki is in line to host a show for MSNBC on NBC Universal’s streaming platform, Peacock.