Biden names all-female White House communications team

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.

Biden also announced that Karine Jean-Pierre will serve as principal deputy press secretary, Pili Tobar will be deputy White House communications director, Ashley Etienne will be communications director for Harris, and Elizabeth Alexander will be communications director for first lady Jill Biden. Sanders, Etienne, and Jean-Pierre are Black and Tobar is Hispanic.

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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."