White House Promotes Press Aides as Biden Sharpens 2024 Focus

  • Bates, Simons to be named senior spokespeople for White House
  • Edwards to replace Kikukawa as economic spokesperson
Karine Jean-Pierre, left, and Emilie Simons, right, at the White House.Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg
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The White House is elevating two longtime press aides following the departure of press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s top deputy, as part of an effort to bolster the press shop’s operations ahead of President Joe Biden’s reelection bid.

Andrew Bates and Emilie Simons - who currently serve as deputy press secretaries - will both be named senior spokespeople for the White House under the new arrangement, and gaggle with press aboard Air Force One when Jean-Pierre is unavailable. The new title will come with an elevated commission as deputy assistants to the president.