Topline
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is planning to leave the White House for an on-air position at MSNBC and is in the advanced stages of signing a contract, Axios and CNN reported Friday, amid speculation she would depart the Biden administration for an on-air gig.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
Key Facts
Psaki will host a show for MSNBC on Peacock, which is NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, and appear on shows on the cable network, according to Axios, which first reported on the news.
Last month, Puck reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Psaki was in talks with TV networks including CNN about signing a deal, for which she intended to leave the White House some time in the year.
Psaki has been discussing with the White House counsel’s office about leaving the Biden administration, Axios reported, citing two sources.
Psaki is expected to stay in her current role until April 30, CNN reported, while Axios puts her departure “around May.”
Several television networks were interested in working with Psaki, CNN reported, citing an unnamed source.
Forbes has reached out to the White House and MSNBC.
Key Background
Asked about her plans on leaving the White House, Psaki said in a January interview with The Cut that she didn’t want to miss moments with her two children, adding “this job requires a lot. That’s just the nature of it.” Psaki told Vogue in August she planned to remain in her role as press secretary for about a year. Psaki is known for reviving the daily White House briefing that had stopped by the end of former President Donald Trump’s term. Psaki has served in her current role since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. She appeared on-air as a political commentator on CNN from 2017 until she joined the Biden administration. She has also served as a White House communications director from 2015 and 2017 and a State Department spokesperson from 2013 to 2015 in the Obama administration.
Tangent
Symone Sanders, former senior spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, who left the White House at the end of December will debut as a host on MSNBC next month.
Further Reading
Jen Psaki planning to leave White House this spring for MSNBC gig (Axios)
Press secretary Jen Psaki plans to depart White House for MSNBC in coming weeks (CNN)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2022/04/01/jen-psaki-plans-to-leave-white-house-for-on-air-gig-at-msnbc-reports-say/