WASHINGTON — Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, a prominent fixture in Democratic politics and the face of the Biden administration for years, is leaving the party and registering as an independent, according to a press release about her upcoming book.
Jean-Pierre “didn’t come to her decision to be an Independent lightly,” said the release from the book’s publisher, Hachette.
In her book, “Independent: A look inside a broken White House, outside the party lines,” Jean-Pierre “shares why Americans must step beyond party lines to embrace life as Independents,” the release added. The book is set to be released in October.
Jean-Pierre’s decision comes as the Democrats have grappled with losing the White House and both chambers of Congress in November.A recent book from CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson on Biden’s 2024 run added fodder to criticisms about the former president’s decision to seek re-election despite concerns about his age and health.
The description of Jean-Pierre’s book jabs at the party’s decisions during the summer of 2024, including “the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to” Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race.
“Until January 20, I was responsible for speaking on behalf of the President of the United States. At noon on that day, I became a private citizen who, like all Americans and many of our allies around the world, had to contend with what was to come next for our country,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement for Legacy Lit, which is part of Hatchette. “I determined that the danger we face as a country requires freeing ourselves of boxes.”
A spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee declined to comment on Jean-Pierre leaving the party. A spokesperson for Biden’s personal office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Biden named Jean-Pierre press secretary in 2022 after former press secretary Jen Psaki left the White House to anchor an MSNBC show. Jean-Pierre served as the top White House spokesperson through the remainder of Biden’s term. She was the first Black woman and first openly gay person to serve as White House press secretary.
Jean-Pierre has a long history of working for top Democrats. Prior to her stint in the Biden White House, Jean-Pierre was the chief of staff to then-vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris. She also worked for Barack Obama during his presidential campaigns.
Jean-Pierre said in a video posted to Instagram that she decided to “follow my own compass,” urging people to “stop thinking in boxes” and “not be so partisan.”
Megan Lebowitz is a politics reporter for NBC News.
Jesse Rodriguez contributed.
