Politics

Former Biden Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Says She’s Left the Democratic Party

By Jake Beardslee · June 4, 2025

WASHINGTON — Karine Jean-Pierre, who served as White House press secretary under President Joe Biden, has publicly announced that she is no longer affiliated with the Democratic Party. In her forthcoming book Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines, Jean-Pierre details her decision to register as an Independent and encourages Americans to move beyond partisan loyalty.

The book, scheduled for release on October 21 by Hachette Book Group, chronicles a critical three-week period leading to President Biden’s withdrawal from his 2024 re-election bid. According to the publisher, Jean-Pierre outlines “the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision” and “why Americans must step beyond party lines to embrace life as Independents.”

Jean-Pierre, a former chief public affairs officer for MoveOn.org and longtime Democratic strategist, became the first Black and openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as White House press secretary. She held the role from May 2022 until January 2025.

The book arrives amid ongoing scrutiny of Biden’s presidency, including recent titles like Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, which examine the president’s political challenges and health. Jean-Pierre herself played a key role in defending Biden during the lead-up to his withdrawal, insisting at a July 3, 2024, press briefing, “He is as sharp as ever, as I have known him to be,” following Biden’s heavily criticized debate performance against Donald Trump.

Jean-Pierre’s memoir also seeks to define and defend the growing ranks of independent voters. The publisher notes that she “urges all Americans to vote their values and maintain individuality within party lines” and challenges readers “to think outside of the blue-and-red box as we consider what’s next to save our democracy.”