Following allegations of conflict between the two White House officials, John Kirby is allegedly annoyed with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s role in calling on reporters during his press briefings.
The New York Times claimed, citing the people they spoke for the story, that “Mr. Kirby had privately acknowledged, when asked, that he would one day like to be named press secretary, and he has expressed frustration that Ms. Jean-Pierre picked the reporters who ask him questions at briefings.”
Since the terrorist strikes by Hamas on October 7, Kirby and Jean-Pierre have appeared together somewhat frequently. On Sunday, Kirby received a formal promotion to a position where he will oversee the coordination of communications between multiple agencies.
Kirby will now be referred to as White House national security advisor, up from deputy assistant to assistant to the president, according to a U.S. official.
REJECTING HAMAS’ GAZA DEATH COUNT, WHITE HOUSE BATTLES REPORTERS: WE WON’T CITE A ‘TERRORIST ORGANIZATION’
“He evinces a clarity and comfort at the lectern that can sometimes elude Ms. Jean-Pierre, 49, a more rote public speaker with less experience tussling with an adversarial press,” the Times reported of Kirby’s new position, which will see him oversee a small team independent of the National Security Council’s press office.
According to the New York Times, Jean-Pierre occupied about “half the time” at the press briefing lectern on Friday following White House Counsel Ian Sams’s remarks to media and responses to queries regarding Biden’s.
