According to a Axios article, the relationship between White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre’s and National Security Council John Kirby “is fraught with tension.”
Axios reports that “As President Biden prepares for a difficult re-election race, his top spokespeople are at odds, while navigating a scenario in which there is one press secretary by name, but two in reality — one for the domestic policy and the other for foreign policies.”
Kirby is a Biden favourite and a regular guest at press briefings. He has received more and more stage time as the Middle East war continues to rage.
According to several White House sources, KJP had been wary of Kirby since the very beginning.
Axios reported that when Biden offered Jean-Pierre a job as press secretary in 2022, the awkwardly added Kirby would also be joining them and that they’d work together. Three people who were familiar with Jean-Pierre’s comments said that she left the meeting with Biden confused and upset about whether or not she had the job.
Axios has more on
KJP does not like the idea of having a babysitter on the podium.
The White House’s tense podium battlehttps://t.co/kVtoFRP6b1
— Sean Spicer Jan 5, 2024