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“Without the talent and tenacity of Kate Bedingfield, Donald Trump might still be in the White House, the bailout and the infrastructure bill might still be unrealized goals, and Ketanji Brown Jackson might not sit on the Court. supreme,” Klain said in a statement. . “She’s been a huge part of everything the president has accomplished — from his second term as vice president, through the campaign, and since coming to the White House.
“Her strategic acumen, intense dedication to the president’s agenda, and hard work on his behalf are unmatched. She will continue to remain a critical player in advancing the Biden agenda from the outside.”
A source close to the situation told CNN that she will leave her post this summer. Bedingfield had been weighing the decision to leave the White House for several weeks, according to people familiar with the situation, although she only gave Klain official notice in recent days.
“Long before we launched the campaign, Kate Bedingfield was a strong advocate for the president and ensured our message in 2020 and at the White House was consistent with his voice and his principles,” said Anita Dunn, the one of Biden’s top advisers. “Her leadership has helped us tell the story of Joe Biden’s fight for America’s working families. She will always be a vital member of that family, even if she takes a little time to get her own family through first.”
One person widely seen as Bedingfield’s likely replacement is Liz Allen, another longtime Biden loyalist who worked for him when he was vice president and also served as former President Barack Obama’s deputy communications director. She was also assigned to work with Kamala Harris after Harris was chosen to be Biden’s vice-presidential running mate. She currently works at the State Department.
But it is unclear whether a decision on Bedingfield’s successor has yet been made.
Bedingfield’s departure is the latest change in his entourage as the chairman looks to solidify his squad ahead of the mid-terms. Long-serving Councilor Dunn recently returned full-time to the West Wing, and a number of mid-level aides have also moved into more senior administrative positions.
The personnel changes come as the White House grapples with runaway inflation, a war in Ukraine and the president’s low approval ratings – all as House and Senate Republicans plan to win back the position. majority control in the November elections.
Bedingfield has held various political roles over the past decade and she has a long-standing working relationship with Biden. She worked with him in the Obama White House as deputy director of media affairs and director of response.
She was considered a key figure in Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, serving as deputy campaign manager and communications director.
Bedingfield was a likely candidate for the job of press secretary when Jen Psaki departed, but the role eventually went to Karine Jean-Pierre. Bedingfield occasionally held briefings in Jean-Pierre’s absence.
She previously worked at the Motion Picture Association of America, where she was Vice President of Corporate Communications. Bedingfield was also the spokesperson for John Edwards’ 2008 presidential campaign and the communications director for Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s 2008 Senate campaign in New Hampshire.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Shawna Mizelle contributed to this report.
