In a surprising turn, Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House press secretary, has distanced herself from the Democratic Party, citing its “horrible” treatment of former President Joe Biden as the reason for her departure.
During the 2024 presidential election cycle, Joe Biden initially clinched his party’s nomination. However, he withdrew his candidacy after Democratic leaders urged him to step down, pointing to concerns about his age and possible cognitive decline. This decision followed a lackluster debate performance against Donald Trump that summer, where Biden occasionally appeared slow and confused. Following his withdrawal, Vice President Kamala Harris took up the party’s mantle but ultimately faced a sweeping defeat to President Donald Trump in the November election.
In her newly released memoir, Karine Jean-Pierre expressed that the way Biden was treated was a pivotal factor in her decision to leave the Democratic Party, now identifying as an independent.
“Biden seemed completely at ease with his choice, but I was taken aback, overwhelmed with mixed emotions. I felt anger and sadness, a deep rage, and heartbreak that after dedicating over 50 years to public service, he was poorly treated by his own party members. It was truly horrible,” Jean-Pierre wrote.
The former press secretary also recounted her initial belief that Biden would remain in the race until his eventual exit.
“The Democratic Party has been a cornerstone of my life and career,” Jean-Pierre reflected. “Everything I did to improve people’s lives was intertwined with it. The party was my gateway to witnessing history firsthand, from working on [Barack] Obama’s presidential campaign to serving in his administration. It also allowed me to create history as the first Black woman and openly queer person to serve as White House press secretary. I had never considered leaving the party—until now.”
Karine Jean-Pierre ultimately decided to become an independent so that she could hold to her principles without giving blind loyalty to a party she felt had betrayed her.
“Now the cloud of unease hovering over me solidified into an idea about how I could possibly do something different. How I could channel my disappointment into some kind of concrete action that would allow me to fight for what I believed in without giving blind loyalty to a party I felt no longer deserved it,” she wrote.
“You know what? I’m going to become an independent. I don’t think I can stomach being in the Democratic Party anymore,” she added.
