Office of Public Engagement Director Stephen Benjamin answers questions with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a daily press briefing Monday, August 28, 2023, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. Benjamin and Jean-Pierre answered questions in regards to the Jacksonville, Florida mass shooting that occurred Saturday, August 26, 2023. (Official White House Photo by Carlos M. Vazquez II) (Wikimedia Commons / Photo by The White House)
By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House press secretary under President Joe Biden, has announced that she is leaving the Democratic Party and will now identify as an Independent. The revelation comes as Jean-Pierre prepares for the release of her forthcoming book, Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines, scheduled to be published in October. In a public statement on Wednesday, Jean-Pierre said, “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. I determined that the danger we face as a country requires freeing ourselves of boxes. We need to be willing to exercise the ability to think creatively and plan strategically.”
The announcement marks a striking shift for the veteran political strategist and commentator, who has long been a fixture within Democratic circles. Jean-Pierre previously served under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and held senior roles in both administrations, including as a senior adviser on Biden’s 2020 campaign and chief of staff to then-Vice-Presidential candidate Kamala Harris before ascending to the role of White House press secretary in 2022. According to the book’s description on Amazon, Independent delivers a candid look at Jean-Pierre’s political evolution and outlines the events that shaped her decision to part ways with the Democratic Party.
The book reportedly explores the final three weeks leading up to President Biden’s withdrawal from his reelection bid and what Jean-Pierre characterizes as a betrayal by the Democratic Party that influenced his decision. “In a country obsessed with blind loyalty to a two-party democratic system,” the description states, “Karine Jean-Pierre… shares why Americans must step beyond party lines to embrace life as Independents.” The book promises a “hard-hitting yet hopeful critique” of the current political system and argues for a redefinition of civic engagement. Jean-Pierre, described as a “history maker, veteran public servant, political analyst and independent thinker,” urges Americans to “think outside of the blue-and-red box” in pursuit of preserving democracy.
In Independent, Jean-Pierre reportedly calls on Americans to vote their values, resist political tribalism, and embrace individual conviction over party loyalty. She is expected to outline how misinformation has infected recent election cycles and to provide a path forward that prioritizes truth and individual responsibility. Jean-Pierre’s move places her among a growing number of high-profile Americans and voters expressing frustration with the two-party system. “I think we need to stop thinking in boxes and think outside of our boxes and not be so partisan,” Jean-Pierre said in an Instagram post. “The way that I see moving forward in this space that we’re in right now is if you are willing to stand side by side with me, regardless of how you identify politically — and as long as you respect the community that I belong to and vulnerable communities that I respect — I will be there with you. I will move forward with you,” she said.