Biden names all-female White House communications team

(Image credit: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)

published 30 November 2020

President-elect Joe Biden announced Sunday that his White House communications team will be made up of seven women who worked on his campaign or in the Obama White House, including Jen Psaki as press secretary, Kate Bedingfield as communications director, and Symone Sanders as press secretary for Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Psaki, who is currently overseeing confirmations for Biden's transition team, will be the face of the Biden administration. She previously worked as White House communications director, press secretary to Secretary of State John Kerry, and several other jobs during President Barak Obama's two terms. Bedingfield was Biden's deputy campaign manager and communications director, as well as communications director when he was vice president. Sanders was a senior adviser to the Biden-Harris campaign.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Previous presidents, including President Trump, have named women to top White House communications roles, but this will be "the first time all of the top aides tasked with speaking on behalf of an administration and shaping its message will be female," The Washington Post notes.

"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. "I am proud to announce today the first senior White House communications team comprised entirely of women. These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better."

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.