Biden’s White House press secretary reportedly leaving for MSNBC

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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is reportedly planning to leave her role in the Biden administration for an on-air position at MSNBC, according to CNBC.

Sources told Axios that Psaki could leave around May 2022 and is likely to host a show on NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock, which offers content from MSNBC. She reportedly was also in talks with CNN at one point.

News of the possible departure came before the daily White House press briefing, where Psaki was questioned about her future by multiple reporters. She skirted the question by saying she did not have anything to announce about her tenure at the White House.

Several journalists also questioned her if it is ethical for her to be negotiating with for-profit news organizations while also serving as a public employee. She pushed back on that point, pointing to her record of ethics and transparency and that any questions about possible ethical issues are reviewed by the White House Counsel’s office.

It’s not uncommon for former White House officials to take roles with networks often in paid contributor roles, though in many cases they leave their public jobs first and then announce a contract with a network, though it’s possible the positions could have been discussed, negotiated and even agreed upon, at least in principle, before the official stepped down.

Other White House officials issued separate statements saying they have nothing to announce about Psaki’s job status.