President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden, will have an all-female communications team, led by his campaign communications director, Kate Bedinfield, who will become the next White House communications director.
Also, Jen Psaki, who served as White House communications director for the last two years of President Barack Obama’s administration, will be Biden’s White House press secretary.
Biden rounded out his communications staff with five other women, ,achieving the first senior White House communications team comprised entirely of women, as Biden-Harris’ transition noted in its announcement.
Karine Jean Pierre, who was the chief of staff for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, will be the chief press secretary for the new administration.
Pili Tobar, who was director of communications for coalitions in the Biden campaign, will be deputy director of communications for the White House. Tobar, who was born in Guatemala, most recently served as deputy editor for America’s Voice, a group pushing for immigration reform, and was on the press staff of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat.
“Communicating directly and truthfully to the American people is one of the most important duties of a President, and this team will be entrusted with the tremendous responsibility of connecting the American people to the White House,” Biden said in a statement on Sunday.
“These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better,” he added.
According to according to Anita Dunn, a top Biden campaign aide, Biden’s operation decided to announce the women on the communications team as a group to signal that the top administration offices will coordinate closely,
“They are a very cohesive group, with great strengths and diverse viewpoints,” Dunn said. “And a very strong team.”
“The odds are very high that if it’s a story about the Biden administration, any aspect of it, at least one quote in the story will be from a woman,” she added.
Current White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, using her personal Twitter account, attacked The Washington Post — which first reported Biden’s all-female communications team — arguing that President Trump, Vice President Pence and first lady Melania Trump also have senior female press aides.
Trump’s communications staff includes spokesmen who are regularly quoted, including Judd Deere, the White House deputy press secretary, and Brian Morganstern, the White House deputy communications director. Pence’s spokesman is Devin O’Malley.
