According to a new report, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki will be leaving the Biden Administration this spring. Psaki will reportedly be joining NBC and is set to host her own show on the network’s streaming service, Peacock.
According to Axios reporter Sara Fischer, the papers have not yet been signed, but the offer purportedly would make Psaki the host of a show on Peacock. Additionally, Psaki will become a contributor with MSNBC and is set to appear on numerous cable news shows. The transition is tentatively set for May, Axios reports.
Last month, Puck News reported that Psaki was in talks with CNN. Now, a deal with the network’s rival is “nearly final”, though Psaki will not be replacing Rachel Maddow in a primetime slot. Government regulations prevent her from signing such a contract, so no deal between Psaki and NBC would be official until she formally leaves the White House.
Psaki’s deal is similar to that of Symone Sanders, a former adviser and senior spokesperson for Kamala Harris. Sanders also spent time on the leadership team of the Bernie Sanders campaign in 2016. In January, Sanders signed an exclusive deal with MSNBC to host a show on Peacock and to participate in live programming on MSNBC. Additionally, former Trump White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany joined Fox News as a commentator last March, while another former press secretary, Sean Spicer, hosts a show with Newsmax.
It is unclear who will replace Psaki in the long term, as the White House has yet to make any official announcement. White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield has been handling press conference duties this week after Psaki contracted COVID-19 for the second time in five months.