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She will maintain her role as White House press secretary.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has been promoted to senior adviser to the president.
ABC News reported on Monday that she will maintain her current role as she adds the new title to her portfolio. Jean-Pierre, who became the first Black woman and the first out LGBTQ+ person to hold the press secretary position in 2022, now joins the president’s inner circle as one of his most trusted advisers.
Jean-Pierre’s promotion reflects the confidence President Joe Biden has placed in her since the beginning of his term. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients praised her as “a trusted adviser to the president and all of us here at the White House since day one,” emphasizing that her input will be crucial as the administration works to accomplish its goals in the final months of Biden’s term.
Related: Karine Jean-Pierre on being a Black lesbian working for the White House: ‘It matters’ (exclusive)
She will continue to manage the daily operations of the White House press office while advising the president on critical issues. Notably, Jean-Pierre, 50, joins another LGBTQ+ person with the president’s ear — White House communications director Ben LaBolt, 43, who was promoted to senior adviser earlier this year. Together, Jean-Pierre and LaBolt represent a historic moment for LGBTQ+ representation at the highest levels of government, where their voices will shape messaging and policy direction in the critical months ahead.
Jean-Pierre has consistently acknowledged the significance of her role as a trailblazer. In an interview with The Advocate earlier this year, she reflected on her position, saying, “It’s not lost on me what my presence at the podium behind that lectern means. Being a first in many different ways... is a heavy weight that I understand is important to carry with respect.” As a lesbian, Black woman, and immigrant, her presence at the podium has been a powerful symbol of progress and representation in an administration that prioritizes diversity.
Related: Karine Jean-Pierre ‘absolutely heartbroken’ over Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict’s death
Throughout her tenure, Jean-Pierre has been a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. She has played a crucial role in elevating the administration’s pro-equality stance on LGBTQ+ rights, including the reversal of the Trump-era ban on transgender troops, the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act, and other vital initiatives aimed at advancing equality. She brought national attention to the death of Nex Benedict, a transgender high school student in Oklahoma who took his life after suffering relentless bullying when she spoke of Benedict’s case from the briefing room podium. Her work has reinforced the Biden administration’s reputation as the most pro-LGBTQ+ in U.S. history.
“When you have a president at the State of the Union speaking directly to the LGBTQ+ community — the transgender community — saying, ‘I have your back,’ that’s pretty powerful,” Jean-Pierre said in April, reflecting on Biden’s vocal support for LGBTQ+ rights.
Her promotion amplifies her voice and signals the administration’s continued focus on communications as a strategic tool. “Showing up matters,” she told The Advocate. “Showing up for myself, showing up for little boys and girls, young people who are trying to figure out who they are and looking at me and saying, well, maybe I can do this.”
