According to a Fox News report, John Kirby, who is responsible for communications across several agencies in the Biden Administration, is unhappy with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“Mr. Kirby had privately acknowledged, when asked, that he would one day like to be named press secretary, and he has expressed frustration that Ms. Jean-Pierre picked the reporters who ask him questions at briefings,” The New York Times reported, citing the people they interviewed for the article.
From Fox News:
Kirby has been appearing alongside Jean-Pierre relatively often since Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. Kirby was officially promoted on Sunday to a role that will put him in charge of coordinating communications across several agencies.
A U.S. official said Kirby’s new title will be White House national security advisor, elevating him from deputy assistant, up to assistant to the president.
In the new role, Kirby will direct a small team, separate from the National Security Council’s press office. “He evinces a clarity and comfort at the lectern that can sometimes elude Ms. Jean-Pierre, 49, a more rote public speaker with less experience tussling with an adversarial press,” the Times reported.
The New York Times reported that Jean-Pierre spent nearly “half the time” at the press briefing lectern on Friday after White House Counsel Ian Sams’ spoke to reporters and answered questions about Biden’s memory.
“The situation was awkward from the start,” NYT reported. The report also said Jean-Pierre had “growing pains.”
“At a May 2022 reception on the Truman Balcony, held in honor of Ms. Psaki’s departure, Mr. Biden was speaking with a group of aides when he tried to reassure Ms. Jean-Pierre not to worry about filling Ms. Psaki’s shoes, according to two people with direct knowledge of their exchange,” the report read.
Biden reportedly told her, “you’ll have an admiral looking over your shoulder.” The White House told the Times Biden never made the comment.
This story is developing…
John Kirby frustrated by Karine Jean-Pierre's role in his briefings amid ongoing tension: Report https://t.co/zgzW53Qb9Z
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 13, 2024
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