Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden’s press secretary, is leaving the White House sometime next year.
In an interview with CNN’s David Axelrod, Psaki said she had always discussed serving just one year, and that she was sticking to that plan.
“I think it’s going to be time for somebody else to have this job, in a year from now or about a year from now,” Psaki said.
That’s pretty standard. Former President Donald Trump cycled through four press secretary in his four years, and prior to him, former President Barack Obama went through three during his eight years in office.
And yet, online, some people, who have grown to love Psaki were devastated to learn of Psaki’s departure.
One called her “literally one of the best destroyers of bullshit I’ve ever seen.”
Really sad and disappointing news that Press Secretary Jen Psaki plans on stepping down later this year or early next year. She’s literally one of the best destroyers of bullshit I’ve ever seen. Ugh.
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) May 7, 2021
It's very disappointing to hear that Jen Psaki will leave early next year.
It's even more disappointing that all of the major cable news networks stopped airing Jen Psaki's daily press briefings, after they showed every single one of Trump's press briefings for 4 years.
— United for the People (@people4kam) May 7, 2021
a good night to repost this one; https://t.co/apeWgbVg2w
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) May 7, 2021
Jen Psaki is such a fantastic Press Sec and it really sucks that she will be stepping down.
— ☮ American Millennial ♋ 🇺🇸🌊 (@XanderXjork) May 6, 2021
It’s true that Trump’s tenure made White House press secretaries infamous for their theatrics and obfuscation. And if you found Trump’s press secretaries to be frenetic and full of it, Psaki, merely by representing the party you like, felt like some great return to sanity.
And Psaki developed a cult following for people who relished her occasionally wry responses to Fox News and other right-wing outlets.
But it’s doesn’t mean you need to cry like the family pet just died. Biden will assuredly replace her with someone just as staid and uncontroversial who you can grow to adore just as much.