Karine Jean-Pierre has been named White House Press Secretary by U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday, making history as the first Black woman to hold the position.
In place of Jen Psaki, who was expected to serve for just one term of Biden’s administration, the 44-year-old daughter of Haitian immigrants, Jean-Pierre will now step up as Biden’s spokeswoman.
The war in Ukraine and the introduction of new COVID-19 variants kept her on the job for several months longer than she had originally planned.
Jill and I had known and respected Jean-Pierre for a long time and she would be a strong voice speaking on behalf of me and this administration, Biden said in a statement from the White House.
When asked if he thought Biden-Harris would succeed, he said: “She is not only bringing the experience, talent, and integrity needed for this difficult job,” he said.
Psaki, the outgoing White House press secretary, was thanked by the US president for setting the standard for restoring decency, respect, and decorum to the White House Briefing Room.
‘Thank you for raising the bar, communicating directly and truthfully to the American people, and keeping her sense of humor while doing so,’ Psaki said.
In closing, he said, “I thank you and wish you the best as you move forward.”
At this time, Jean-Pierre is the President’s Principal Deputy Press Secretary.
Throughout her career, she has served as a long-term adviser to Vice President Biden, serving as a senior political and communications adviser in the Biden Administration, the campaign, and the Obama administration.
As a political analyst for NBC and MSNBC before joining the campaign, she served as the organization’s Chief Public Affairs Officer.
As Deputy Battleground States Director for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, Jean-Pierre served as the White House Office of Political Affairs’ Regional Political Director.
She is a published author and previously worked at the Center for Community and Corporate Ethics, where she advocated for large corporations to alter their business practices and business ethics policies.
Jean-Pierre is a Columbia University graduate who was born and raised in Martinique.
