Identity politics: White House’s official position on new openly gay comms director: It’s ‘very, very important’

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On Friday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday that having a new openly gay communication director in the White House is “very, very important indeed.”

Jean-Pierre said that new Communication Director Ben LaBolt is making history.

“I also know that Ben is making history as, you know, we believe here in the Biden-Harris White House that representation matters. He will be the first openly gay communications director which is very, very important indeed.”

Kate Bedingfield, the current White House communications director, will leave to work on President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. LaBolt is a former press adviser to former President Barack Obama and worked as Obama’s press secretary when he was in the Senate.

Biden announced Karine Jean-Pierre as White House Press Secretary on May 5, 2022, and she became the first black press secretary in U.S. history, replacing Jen Psaki.