Karine Jean-Pierre makes history as first openly gay woman to deliver the White House press briefing

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Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday turned the primary overtly homosexual lady to ship the White Home press briefing and solely the second Black lady in historical past to tackle the position.Jean-Pierre, the White Home principal deputy press secretary, had briefed reporters aboard Air Drive One, however Wednesday marked her first time earlier than the lectern for a televised briefing.”It is an actual honor to be standing right here right now,” Jean-Pierre advised reporters, when requested about her historic flip. “Clearly the president believes that illustration issues, and I recognize him giving me this chance.”Judy Smith, who served as deputy press secretary to President George H.W. Bush in 1991, was the primary Black lady to tackle the position.Jean-Pierre is seen as a possible successor to present White Home press secretary Jen Psaki, who has publicly mentioned she solely intends to serve within the position for a couple of yr, and Wednesday’s look was seen as an audition of kinds for the job. Jean-Pierre fields press requests and makes frequent appearances for the Biden administration on cable information.”At present is a giant day within the press workplace and @WhiteHouse. My associate in reality — @KJP46 is doing her first full briefing from the rostrum right now making historical past in her personal proper. However doing her actual justice means additionally recognizing her expertise, her brilliance and her great spirit,” Psaki tweeted.On Wednesday, like Psaki and generations of White Home spokespeople earlier than her, Jean-Pierre leaned closely on a binder stuffed with ready notes and statements, as she fielded questions on subjects together with the Tokyo Olympics and the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.Jean-Pierre, who was born in Martinique to Haitian emigrants and grew up in New York Metropolis, has spoken publicly about how her personal experiences as an immigrant have knowledgeable her prolonged profession in politics.”I’m all the pieces that Donald Trump hates,” she mentioned in a video for progressive group MoveOn in 2018. “I am a Black lady, I am homosexual, I’m a mother. Each my mother and father have been born in Haiti.”Throughout the 2023 marketing campaign, Jean-Pierre was now-Vice President Kamala Harris’ chief of employees. She beforehand labored on each of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, finally serving as nationwide deputy battleground states director for the 2012 marketing campaign. In between, Jean-Pierre labored within the Obama administration, serving because the White Home liaison to the Labor Division and later as regional director within the White Home Workplace of Political Affairs.Jean-Pierre is certainly one of a handful of potential Psaki successors, an inventory that features Symone Sanders, Harris’ chief spokesperson, who has tamped down hypothesis over her curiosity within the position. Sanders confirmed help for Jean-Pierre on Wednesday with a tweet providing her congratulations.”I shall be elevating my espresso cup throughout the WH press briefing in celebration of illustration, aptitude and brilliance. The ancestors are proud,” she tweeted.

Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday turned the primary overtly homosexual lady to ship the White Home press briefing and solely the second Black lady in historical past to tackle the position.

Jean-Pierre, the White Home principal deputy press secretary, had briefed reporters aboard Air Drive One, however Wednesday marked her first time earlier than the lectern for a televised briefing.

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“It is an actual honor to be standing right here right now,” Jean-Pierre advised reporters, when requested about her historic flip. “Clearly the president believes that illustration issues, and I recognize him giving me this chance.”

Judy Smith, who served as deputy press secretary to President George H.W. Bush in 1991, was the primary Black lady to tackle the position.

Jean-Pierre is seen as a possible successor to present White Home press secretary Jen Psaki, who has publicly mentioned she solely intends to serve within the position for a couple of yr, and Wednesday’s look was seen as an audition of kinds for the job. Jean-Pierre fields press requests and makes frequent appearances for the Biden administration on cable information.

“At present is a giant day within the press workplace and @WhiteHouse. My associate in reality — @KJP46 is doing her first full briefing from the rostrum right now making historical past in her personal proper. However doing her actual justice means additionally recognizing her expertise, her brilliance and her great spirit,” Psaki tweeted.

On Wednesday, like Psaki and generations of White Home spokespeople earlier than her, Jean-Pierre leaned closely on a binder stuffed with ready notes and statements, as she fielded questions on subjects together with the Tokyo Olympics and the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Jean-Pierre, who was born in Martinique to Haitian emigrants and grew up in New York Metropolis, has spoken publicly about how her personal experiences as an immigrant have knowledgeable her prolonged profession in politics.

White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Wednesday, May 26, 2021, in Washington.

Evan Vucci / AP Photograph

White Home deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks throughout a press briefing on the White Home, Wednesday, Could 26, 2023, in Washington.

“I’m all the pieces that Donald Trump hates,” she mentioned in a video for progressive group MoveOn in 2018. “I am a Black lady, I am homosexual, I’m a mother. Each my mother and father have been born in Haiti.”

Throughout the 2023 marketing campaign, Jean-Pierre was now-Vice President Kamala Harris’ chief of employees. She beforehand labored on each of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, finally serving as nationwide deputy battleground states director for the 2012 marketing campaign. In between, Jean-Pierre labored within the Obama administration, serving because the White Home liaison to the Labor Division and later as regional director within the White Home Workplace of Political Affairs.

Jean-Pierre is certainly one of a handful of potential Psaki successors, an inventory that features Symone Sanders, Harris’ chief spokesperson, who has tamped down hypothesis over her curiosity within the position. Sanders confirmed help for Jean-Pierre on Wednesday with a tweet providing her congratulations.

“I shall be elevating my espresso cup throughout the WH press briefing in celebration of illustration, aptitude and brilliance. The ancestors are proud,” she tweeted.

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