Karine Jean-Pierre’s defection from the Democratic Party has unleashed a firestorm of criticism from her former White House colleagues, as the Daily Mail reports. The former press secretary, who served until January 2025, announced her departure alongside a book deal that’s being called a shameless cash grab. Her move has sparked outrage among Democrats, who are grappling with a host of current concerns.
Jean-Pierre, once a key Biden spokesperson, is poised to release Independent, a book touted as an “urgent” critique of a “broken White House.” Its shattered-glass cover and promotional claims of Democratic betrayal have raised eyebrows. Critics argue she’s prioritizing personal profit over party unity at a critical time.
Before her stint at the White House, Jean-Pierre worked as a political director for former President Barack Obama and the progressive group MoveOn. Her tenure as Biden's press secretary, however, drew sharp rebukes from colleagues who called her “ineffectual” and “unprepared.” One former official quipped that coddling her consumed “astronomical” time better spent on real issues.
“What is the goal here? Is the goal here to sell a book?” a former White House official told DailyMail.com. Such pointed questions underscore the skepticism surrounding Jean-Pierre’s motives. Her book’s focus on Biden’s decision to abandon a second term in January 2025 feels like a betrayal to many.
The Democratic Party is reeling from Vice President Kamala Harris’ election loss to Donald Trump after Biden stepped aside from his re-election bid. Jean-Pierre’s book, which claims the White House was “broken,” adds fuel to an already divided party. Former officials see her actions as a distraction from urgent fights over health insurance losses and deportations.
“We’re fighting against 10.9 million people losing their health insurance,” one ex-colleague fumed to DailyMail.com. The same official decried potential citizen deportations to El Salvador, slamming Jean-Pierre’s messaging as tone-deaf. Her pivot to “independence” is seen as a weak excuse for abandoning ship.
Unlike her predecessor, Jen Psaki, who secured a hosting job at MSNBC, Jean-Pierre has struggled to secure high-profile media gigs. ABC’s The View reportedly rejected her professional overtures, a stark contrast to her time as press secretary. One official sneered that her “selfish stunt” is a desperate bid for relevance.
“She lost whatever media cachet she had,” a former colleague told DailyMail.com. The official suggested that Jean-Pierre’s book is a last-ditch effort to stay in the spotlight. Her failure to read the room has only deepened the scorn from her peers.
Former Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips, who challenged Biden in the primaries, took a subtle jab at Jean-Pierre’s book deal. “I just share my perspective and advocate for common sense without charging anyone for it,” he said. His dig highlights the perception that Jean-Pierre is profiting off party turmoil.
Former White House aides didn’t hold back on X, where group chats buzzed with reactions. “A lot of group chats were revived today,” Symone Sanders-Townsend posted, while Vedant Patel noted “13” chats on his end. Jeremy Edwards simply replied, “Lol,” capturing the collective eye-roll.
Jean-Pierre defended her move on Instagram, claiming strangers stop her daily for her insights on “preserving our democracy.” “I’m choosing what I champion based on my own compass,” she wrote. Her lofty rhetoric rings hollow to colleagues who see it as self-serving.
“Her becoming independent because they were mean to her boss is the lamest s--- I’ve ever heard,” one official told DailyMail.com. The sentiment reflects a broader frustration with Jean-Pierre’s leadership and message delivery. Her tenure was marked by chaos, not clarity.
Axios reporter Alex Thompson and CNN’s Jake Tapper, in their recent book Original Sin, criticized the Biden White House for hiding the president’s decline. Jean-Pierre’s book echoes this narrative, but her colleagues aren’t buying it. They argue she’s deflecting from her shortcomings as a leader.
“Probably best to purge the party of our most delusional and self-serving personalities,” a former official told DailyMail.com. The harsh words reflect a desire to move past Jean-Pierre’s drama. Her critics want to focus on policy battles, not personal vendettas.
Jean-Pierre’s fall from grace is a cautionary tale of misplaced priorities. While Democrats fight to protect millions from policy upheavals, her book deal and party exit signal a focus on fame over substance. The backlash from her peers shows a party eager to shed dead weight.
