White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has been named as Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden, the White House announced Monday. Jean-Pierre will continue as a press secretary, but she will now have this additional, powerful advisory role, making her the first woman in decades to do both at once.
This endorsement reflects Jean-Pierre’s growing role in the Biden administration at an important time of its presidency, when the presidential election in 2024 is in weeks and several legislative initiatives are on the table.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients praised Jean-Pierre’s leadership and counsel, telling ABC News, “Karine has been a trusted advisor to the President and all of us here at the White House since day one. Her counsel will be critical to get as much done as possible for the American people in the coming months.”
An Unprecedented Move
This dual role represents one of the largest adjustments in the White House’s use of its press secretary. If the job of press secretary is normally more concerned with the administration’s interaction with the press and putting the president’s message into the public’s hands, senior adviser is strategic management in the upper tiers of government. Jean-Pierre will now have more sway not only over the administration’s media and its own policymaking.
Jean-Pierre’s appointment comes as the Biden administration continues to work toward key legislation, from healthcare to immigration to the post-Hurricane Helene recovery. And in her special capacity she’ll be the face of the administration and a strategist.
A Historic Career
Jean-Pierre, the first ever Black and transparently LGBT+ press secretary, has played an instrumental role in the Biden administration from the start. She took over as press secretary in May 2022 (behind Jen Psaki) and immediately was one of the administration’s most visible figures.
Her promotion to senior adviser is testimony to her expanding power and President Joe Biden’s confidence in her to lead his administration in an era of unprecedented difficulty. The allowance of her both roles also affirms that she can handle multiple high-profile assignments and the administration is confident in her leadership.
The Road Ahead
Biden’s administration is in an acute lull the next several months, the 2024 presidential election approaching, and there are multiple issues, national and global, in need of urgent resolution. Jean-Pierre’s new advisory function will be crucial to the White House’s handling of these issues, which are continuing economic recovery, climate change, and foreign policy.
Her endorsement comes as the administration prepares for the general election race where Vice President Kamala Harris will compete against former President Donald Trump in what should be a tense race. Jean-Pierre’s new role will be to direct messaging and public relations for the Biden-Harris campaign during those critical weeks leading up to Election Day.
A Focus on Communication and Strategy
Jean-Pierre’s skills as a public speaker will be invaluable as the administration tries to ensure its policy victories (economic recovery, healthcare reform) are transparently communicated to the American people. Her role as both a public relations expert and strategic advisor will prove vital to the administration’s ambitions.
Because there are still important legislative initiatives on the table in Congress including immigration reform and support for federal disaster relief, Jean-Pierre will play a critical role in guiding the administration through negotiations and determining its public stance on these major issues.
A Critical Partnership with Biden
Biden’s choice to pick Jean-Pierre speaks to her personal closeness with the president who has repeatedly praised her work as press secretary. Her new role will cement that collaboration, putting her in a stronger position to directly influence policymaking while still keeping the White House a central conduit between the public and government.
In a statement released by the White House, Biden reiterated his confidence in Jean-Pierre’s abilities. “Karine has been an invaluable asset to our administration. She brings passion, commitment, and a deep understanding of the issues we face as a nation. Her counsel will be essential as we move forward in these critical months.”
A Double Role in a New Era
It’s the first time in decades that a press secretary has also been the senior adviser to the president, proving that the Biden team believes in Jean-Pierre’s competence and ability to manage multiple high-level tasks. It will hopefully be a model for other administrations to follow, and will also show that a strong press secretary is not only a powerful policy strategist.
Jean-Pierre is stepping into these roles, and the White House will seek to use her knowledge to move the agenda forward at a time of change and political urgency. Her appointment is not just an acknowledgement of what she’s done in the past but an indicator that she’ll be a key figure in the administration’s future.
To see the rest of this story, visit ABC News.
