U.S. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki spoke to a press briefing at the White House in Washington on December 20, 2021.
Kevin Lamarck Reuters
Jen Psaki, who left her role as President Joe Biden’s spokeswoman earlier this month, will join MSNBC’s cable news network this fall.
Psaki will appear on all MSNBC cable programs and will host its own streaming show from the first quarter of 2023, according to MSNBC President Rashida Jones. It will also appear on both NBC and MSNBC during the coverage of the 2022 by-elections and the 2024 presidential election, a statement from Comcast’s NBCUniversal said.
“Jen’s sharp wit and closeness, combined with her mastery of the topics she covers, have made her a name throughout the nation,” Jones said in a statement. “Her extensive experience in government and in the election campaign and perspective as an insider in the White House and Washington is the kind of analysis that distinguishes MSNBC.”
Psaki’s show will air next year on NBCUniversal Peacock’s leading streaming service. NBC News President Cesar Conde has given priority to boosting the news service’s streaming offerings by transferring selected MSNBC programs, including documentaries and specials, to Peacock, which has more than 28 million active accounts per month and 13 million paid subscribers.
Psaki was Biden’s spokesman during his first 16 months in office. It is common for presidents to have several press secretaries for a four-year term. Karin Jean-Pierre succeeded Psaki earlier this month.
Simon Sanders, who served as chief spokeswoman for Vice President Kamala Harris, joined MSNBC this spring.
Following the trend
Psaki follows a long list of communications officials who have switched to broadcasting news from the political world. ABC News presenter George Stefanopoulos was former President Bill Clinton’s communications director. MSNBC political analyst and presenter Nicole Wallace was a senior spokesman for the George W. Bush administration and a spokesman for John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Prior to serving as Biden’s spokesman, Psaki was President Barack Obama’s communications director.
“Evidence-based and thoughtful conversations about big issues in people’s minds across the country have never been more important, and I’m excited to join the amazing MSNBC team,” Psaki said in a statement. “My time in government, from the White House to the State Department, and years before that in national political campaigns, will nurture the insight and perspective I bring into this next chapter.
– CNBC reporters Brian Schwartz and Kevin Brewinger contributed to this story.
Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of MSNBC and CNBC.
WATCH: Shepard Smith’s full interview with Jen Psaki
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