White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Council chief John Kirby have been discussing how much time each will be allocated to provide ready-made public relations statements to establishment media during press conferences. , infighting and “tension” are reportedly escalating.
Two team members are forced to work together because President Joe Biden 'likes it', Axios report Friday:
- Kirby is a “Biden favorite” with foreign policy experience.
- Kirby seems to covet Jean-Pierre's job, but he doesn't overtly try to replace her.
- Mr. Jean-Pierre has refused to leave his post and intends to remain in office “throughout the election.”
- Infighting intensified after the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, with Kirby taking on a larger role.
A major point of contention between the two officials is who gets to call reporters for questions. “Jean-Pierre still runs the press conferences, and rather than having Kirby choose the reporters who ask him questions, he chooses himself,” Axios reported.
- Kirby reportedly said Jean-Pierre, who selected the reporters, “expressed his dissatisfaction.”
- Some White House aides said Axios Jean-Pierre was being controlled because she was “insecure.”
- Although Jean-Pierre controls Kirby's time, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is not restrained by Jean-Pierre during his briefings.
“Jean-Pierre's defenders argue that this arrangement weakened her from the start and made her difficult job even harder.'' Some Black Democrats in the administration and on Capitol Hill say the president It said the situation was insulting and suggested that the first black press secretary it represented needed oversight,” Axios reported.
“Ron Klain, who was the White House chief of staff at the time, met with Jean-Pierre and tried to smooth things over and reassure her that she was.” of Spokesman,” the newspaper reported. “He and Dan then worked to find an agreeable arrangement. (Mr. Crain did not respond to requests for comment.)”
Axios reported that Biden told Jean-Pierre that when he handed the job to Jean-Pierre in 2022, Kirby would also be on the team. This appeared to infuriate Jean-Pierre, who left the meeting with Biden “upset and confused.”
Follow Wendell Husebo “X” @WendellHusebø.he is the author of politics of slave morality.
