With a number of promotions and new hiring, the West Wing has begun to recover from a personnel exodus, particularly from President Joe Biden’s press office.
Internal reorganisation has resulted in a series of promotions inside the White House, which was made worse by the resignation of former Press Secretary Jen Psaki earlier this summer.
Taking over for Paski in June, Karine Jean-Pierre was promoted from her position as senior deputy press secretary and made history by being the first openly Black and LGBTQ person to hold the position of White House press secretary.
However, the White House has struggled with personnel, as several staffers at all levels have left in the less than two years since Biden took office.
According to one study, Biden’s staff has quit at a rate that is four times greater than that of the respective presidencies of Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
This exodus included a “blaxit,” which was based on several allegations indicating that black employees in the West Wing and Vice President Kamala Harris’ office felt there was limited possibility for advancement.
According to a message to employees that numerous news organisations were able to get, Olivia Dalton, the UN’s director of communications, will take over for Jean-Pierre as Biden’s chief deputy press secretary.
This implies that Dalton might conduct news conferences in Jean-absence. Pierre’s
In a statement announcing her hire, Jean-Pierre described Olivia as a “seasoned communications strategist with expertise at the highest levels of government, national campaigns, and running non-profits.”
She is knowledgeable, shrewd, and a great pro. For the whole Biden Harris Administration, she will be a real benefit and a fantastic addition to the press staff.
Currently serving as senior advisor for communications in Vice President Kamala Harris’ office is Herbie Ziskend.
He is currently relocating to the West Wing where he will serve as the president’s communications office’s deputy director.
When Vice President Barack Obama was in office, Ziskend worked for him and was involved in the 2020 presidential campaign.
The message states that Kat Berner, who has worked for the West Wing from the first day of Biden’s administration, has been elevated to senior deputy communications director and deputy assistant to the president.
By hiring new employees and promoting existing ones, Jean-Pierre will get the much-needed support she needs as she deals with almost daily barrages of questions and regularly defends herself against reporters at daily press conferences.
Many White House reporters see that Jean-Pierre is not Psaki and become weary of her continual avoidance of or reluctance to respond to inquiries.
Although it also acknowledges that they had links to Biden prior to their tenure at the business, The Washington Post claimed that the White House actions include promoting numerous officials with ties to the Washington public affairs firm SKDK.
For instance, in the two years before to becoming vice president, Dalton worked for Biden as a senator and also served in the Obama administration.
During the 2012 reelection campaign, she served as Michelle Obama’s press secretary and collaborated with Joe Biden’s presidential transition team.
There are over a dozen people with links to SKDK who worked on Biden’s campaign, transition, or at the White House.
At least eight former Biden administration employees are now employed with the company.