WASHINGTON — President Biden has promoted White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to serve as a senior adviser during his final three months in office — despite Internal concerns about Jean-Pierre’s performanceAs a result of which an unsuccessful attempt was made to persuade him to step aside.
Jean-Pierre’s new position was held by highly influential individuals credited for significant policy contributions under previous presidents – including Jared Kushner (Donald Trump), David Axelrod (Barack Obama) and Karl Rove (George W. Bush). Were included.
“Karine has been a trusted advisor to the President and all of us in the White House from day one. “His advice will be critical to getting things done as best we can for the American people in the coming months,” White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients said. told abc News, which reported the promotion on Monday.
The new title likely doesn’t include a pay raise — as Jean-Pierre, 50, already earned $180,000 a year, the same as current senior advisors.
There will also be no known changes to Jean-Pierre’s job responsibilities, as she will continue to serve as press secretary.
“The senior adviser honorific means nothing and is a joke,” a former Biden White House official told The Post.
Journalists have largely been critical of Jean-Pierre’s performance as chief White House spokesperson, noting that she rarely answers questions at her regular briefings – often looking down to read prepared answers. She bows down.
Many journalists see this promotion as the latest in a series of episodes resembling the plot of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, the folk tale in which courtiers avoid questioning the ineptitude of a bumbling leader.
Biden’s former senior adviser Anita Dunn, then the de facto leader of White House communications strategy, led an obscure effort last year to remove Jean-Pierre, the first non-white and first openly LGBT press secretary — to replace her. Was seen as a bad spokesperson. Biden’s re-election campaign was canceled,
Dunn, who left the White House in July, told colleagues that she was contacting influential Democrats outside the administration to encourage Jean-Pierre to seek other employment, seeing it as the ideal time for his career. , The Post exclusively reported in April.
Dunn said that Zients, who had announced Jean-Pierre’s promotion on Monday, was aware of the plot and had approved it, although he later denied this.
A source said at the time, “An effort was made to call in some outside people who know and trust Carine, to talk to her about what leaving her last fall (2023) would do to her and her It will be very beneficial for your career.”
“Karine doesn’t understand the issues and she reads (the binder) word-by-word. “She doesn’t understand the issues and doesn’t take the time to learn.”
The source added: “It takes a lot of work to get ready and she doesn’t perform at that level consistently.”
Another source said the press secretary was not removed simply because “there’s a big diversity issue and they’re afraid of what people will say.”
Last December, shortly after news of Dunn’s plan circulated internally, Jean-Pierre received an unsolicited offer to become president of EMILY’s List, a prominent Democratic group of women supporting expanded abortion rights. Raises money for candidates.
Jean-Pierre has been press secretary since May 2022 and has had a distinct power struggle with National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, who often shared the stage with him last year, although Jean-Pierre declined to accept his request to call him. Has refused. Journalist Late.
Kirby made no secret that he was interested in serving as press secretary himself.
“Sometimes he talks to her and she acts like he’s not talking,” a third source told The Post in April. “She has been quite aggressive about marking her territory.”
Jean-Pierre is one of Biden’s six senior advisers who are leaving office on January 20.
(TagstoTranslate)Politics(T)US News(T)Joe Biden(T)Karine Jean-Pierre(T)White House
