Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has revealed in her new book that she never believed Vice President Kamala Harris would win the 2024 presidential election, a striking admission from someone who worked closely with both leaders during the Biden-Harris administration. The disclosure appears in Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines, published in late October 2025, as Jean-Pierre announced her departure from the Democratic Party to become a political independent.
Jean-Pierre, who served as the first openly gay and first Black White House press secretary for more than two years under President Joe Biden, expressed her doubts about Harris alongside broader criticisms of Democratic Party leadership. Before her White House role, Jean-Pierre worked for Harris’s 2020 Vice-Presidential campaign, making her skepticism about the nominee particularly noteworthy.
The former press secretary’s decision to leave the Democratic Party stems primarily from what she describes as the party’s betrayal of Biden during summer 2024. She witnessed Democratic leadership orchestrate what she characterized as an all-out campaign to push Biden aside following his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump on June 27, 2024.
In an interview with The New Yorker on Sunday, October 27, 2025, Jean-Pierre defended her position despite acknowledging Trump as a threat to democracy. She explained that her departure from the party reflects multiple concerns beyond the treatment of Biden, including her belief that Democratic leadership fails to adequately protect vulnerable communities, particularly the LGBTQ community and immigrants.
Jean-Pierre rejected the notion that party members were simply trying to give Democrats the best chance to defeat Trump. She emphasized that nobody could predict electoral outcomes, noting that people also believed Harris would win based on polling data. She pointed to an incumbency issue affecting several G-10 countries where sitting leaders failed to secure reelection, suggesting broader forces were at play beyond individual candidate strength.
The former press secretary also criticized the party for failing to articulate the achievements of the Biden-Harris administration effectively. She maintained that Biden presided over what was objectively a successful presidency, with some observers suggesting he accomplished more in one term than most presidents achieve in two. Her frustration centered on how Democrats treated someone she described as one of the most decent people she knows.
During the three-week period from the debate until Biden withdrew from the race, Jean-Pierre stood at the White House podium fielding difficult questions about the president’s fitness. She described watching Democratic leadership conduct what she viewed as a coordinated campaign to embarrass and push out the sitting president with limited time remaining before the election.
On an MSNBC appearance Saturday, October 26, 2025, Jean-Pierre defended her record and stated she had no regrets about her time as press secretary. When pressed about whether she regretted anything said on behalf of Biden, she insisted: “I was very proud of everything that I did. So I don’t take anything back.”
Jean-Pierre clarified that as White House press secretary, she spoke for the president rather than expressing personal views. She emphasized that every press secretary operates under the same constraint. She acknowledged the administration did not get everything right but maintained they performed their duties to the best of their abilities.
Despite leaving the Democratic Party, Jean-Pierre continues to align with its ideology and policy objectives. She described her independence as nuanced, explaining she still agrees with Democratic principles but believes the political system requires fundamental repair. She expressed hope that operating outside party affiliation would allow her to push for accountability and ensure voices like hers are heard, forcing the party to work for her vote.
Jean-Pierre ruled out running for office as an independent, stating it holds no appeal for her. However, she emphasized her commitment to speaking out as a private citizen for a country she cares about deeply. She indicated that remaining silent amid policies she believes harm people would make her complicit.
The former press secretary also made clear she would never work for or vote for a Republican, citing the party’s embrace of Project 2025, which she believes strips away protections and freedoms. She spent her entire political career working for Democrats, including roles in the presidential campaigns of John Edwards in 2004, Martin O’Malley in 2016, and both of Barack Obama’s successful campaigns.
Born in France to Haitian immigrants, Jean-Pierre arrived in New York City as a child. Biden appointed her as press secretary on May 5, 2022, a position she held through his administration’s conclusion. She appeared at Boston College High School on October 24, 2025, to discuss her new book in an event moderated by GBH News’ Saraya Wintersmith.
