Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has made headlines this week after announcing the release of her upcoming book, Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines. In the book, she discusses what she describes as the “betrayal” of President Joe Biden by the Democratic Party and outlines her decision to leave the party to become an Independent. Jean-Pierre, who served as the public face of the White House starting in mid-2022, is now turning attention to the internal dynamics of an administration she once represented.
The announcement has sparked sharp reactions from former Biden administration officials. Many say they had long-standing frustrations with Jean-Pierre’s performance but had remained silent during her tenure. Now, with the publication of her book and her move away from the Democratic Party, several have begun to speak out.
According to more than two dozen interviews conducted with former White House aides, Jean-Pierre’s time behind the podium was marked by tension, internal dissatisfaction, and accusations of mismanagement. Some officials described her as unprepared, overly concerned with her public image, and more focused on media appearances than delivering key messages on behalf of the president. One former official told Axios she had “meltdowns” when asked unexpected questions and did not effectively manage her team or communications strategy.
The reactions reflect a larger sense of discontent and internal friction within Biden’s circle following the president’s 2024 campaign withdrawal. According to aides, there had been efforts within the White House to manage concerns about Biden’s health and stamina, with Jean-Pierre often insisting that the president was “as sharp as ever” — even amid public scrutiny following his debate performance against Donald Trump in June 2023.
In her book, Jean-Pierre reportedly points to those final weeks as a turning point. The publisher, Legacy Lit, says the book will explore the collapse of party unity and encourage readers to reconsider loyalty to political parties altogether. Jean-Pierre, in a video shared to Instagram, emphasized the need to move beyond political labels and engage across ideological lines.
One of the many compilations of Karine Jean-Pierre’s outrageous lies that I made during her time as Press Secretary.
Now she’s getting in on the grift and is releasing a book about the Biden Admin. This gets more ridiculous every day.pic.twitter.com/ZPAZTdkGYV
— MAZE (@mazemoore) June 4, 2025
However, some former colleagues argue that Jean-Pierre’s new outsider narrative is difficult to reconcile with her position as one of the administration’s most visible figures. A former Biden communications official expressed disbelief at her claim of being betrayed, calling the move “a bizarre cash grab” and suggesting that Jean-Pierre benefited from high-profile visibility that now makes her book marketable. Others echoed the sentiment, noting that she was closely tied to key figures in the administration, including First Lady Jill Biden’s top aide, Anthony Bernal.
🚨NEW: Stephen A. Smith UNLOADS on Karine Jean-Pierre over continuing to cover up Joe Biden’s decline — even after she left White House🚨
“You were not the White House press secretary when you showed up on ABC’s ‘The View’ a couple of months ago. You were talking major stuff… pic.twitter.com/oSnhUdeFm6
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) June 4, 2025
Internal tensions reportedly extended to Jean-Pierre’s relationship with National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. Sources said she often blocked him from speaking at the podium, even during high-profile national security events. There were also concerns within the administration about the amount of time and energy spent on managing Jean-Pierre’s public image. Emails later obtained by Axios showed coordination between Jean-Pierre’s team and outside publicists regarding magazine features, including one with Vogue.
One of those publicists, Squire, initially denied working with Jean-Pierre during her White House tenure. But emails from 2023 showed Squire was copied on internal messages about promotional efforts. When asked for further comment, Squire declined to engage.
The publisher describes Jean-Pierre’s book as a hopeful critique that reflects a growing movement of Americans identifying as politically independent. According to Gallup data, about 43% of Americans considered themselves Independent in 2023. Jean-Pierre says she hopes her story encourages people to look beyond party lines and find new ways to engage politically.
“The two least credible sources of information in this world are the Gaza health ministry and Karine Jean-Pierre.”
Scott Jennings never misses. pic.twitter.com/HDBGCmXNvs
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) June 5, 2025
The book is set to be released on October 21. As the conversation around the Biden administration’s internal struggles continues to unfold, Jean-Pierre’s memoir is likely to add another layer to the ongoing debate about party loyalty, political identity, and what comes next in American politics.
