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

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.
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."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
May 28 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - feeding the rich, stock market sermons, and more
-
Labubu: the 'creepy' dolls sparking brawls in the shops
In the Spotlight Craze for the pint-sized soft toys has reached fever pitch among devotees
-
The top period dramas to stream now
The Week Recommends Heaving bosoms and billowing shirts are standard fare in these historical TV classics
-
Trump pardons Virginia sheriff convicted of bribery
speed read Former sheriff Scott Jenkins was sentenced to 10 years in prison on federal bribery and fraud charges
-
Germany lifts Kyiv missile limits as Trump, Putin spar
speed read Russia's biggest drone and missile attacks of the war prompted Trump to post that Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'
-
Tied Supreme Court blocks church charter school
speed read The court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to bar overtly religious public charter schools
-
GOP megabill would limit judicial oversight of Trump
speed read The domestic policy bill Republicans pushed through the House would protect the Trump administration from the consequences of violating court orders
-
Judge scolds DOJ over Newark mayor arrest
speed read Ras Baraka was arrested during a May 9 surprise visit to a migrant detention facility
-
Trump lectures South Africa president on 'white genocide'
speed read Trump has cut off aid to South Africa over his demonstrably false genocide claims
-
Trump twists House GOP arms on megabill
speed read The bill will provide a $350 billion boost to military and anti-immigration spending and 'cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and green energy programs'
-
Trump DOJ said to pay $5M to family of Jan. 6 rioter
speed read The US will pay a hefty sum to the family of Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt, who was fatally shot on January 6