The White House press secretary acts as the spokesperson for the president and interacts with the media on his behalf. On a daily basis, the press secretary sorts through a vast amount of information coming out of the Oval Office, interacting with the president’s aides on views of current events as well as ongoing policies and presents them to the world.
As such, the relationship between president and press secretary is deeply important and must be defined by great trust. The White House press secretary plays a large role in defining the face of the White House to America and the rest of the world.
Let’s take a look back at the press secretaries that served former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Trump had four, while Biden has had two.
Trump’s press secretaries
Sean Spicer (January–July 2017)
Harvard Law graduate Sean Spicer was fresh off a successful stint as communications director and chief strategist for the Republican National Committee when he was drafted onto Trump’s press team. The Associated Press called him “sometimes ... fiery and occasionally flustered” in his press briefings.
Trump then added Anthony Scaramucci to the White House communications staff as its director. Spicer, who believed Scaramucci was underqualified, resigned his office in protest.
Nevertheless, Spicer and Trump parted on good terms. Trump told the media that he was “grateful for Sean’s work on behalf of my administration and the American people.” He shared to Twitter that “Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media—- but his future is bright!”
Where is Spicer now? After leaving the White House, Spicer sought contracts with major media outlets including CNN, Fox News and NBC, but reportedly was refused due to a “lack of credibility,” per The Hill. Spicer went on to host a political talk show on Newsmax and appear on NBC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” according to NewsNationNow, for which he currently works as a politics contributor.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders (July 2017-July 2019)
Sarah Huckabee Sanders worked with her father, Mike Huckabee, on his campaign and tenure as governor of Arkansas (a role she would later take herself), and also worked on winning campaigns for Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman.
Sanders was loyal to Trump, according to Politico. When she resigned from office she expressed a desire to spend more time with her children and to return to Arkansas.
“I’m going to continue to be one of the most outspoken and loyal defenders of the president,” she said when she stepped down, per Politico. Meanwhile, Trump called her a “special person,” “a very, very fine woman” and a “warrior.”
Where is Sanders now? In 2023 Sanders became Arkansas’s first female governor and the youngest governor in the country. In July 2024, she attended the Republican National Convention, where she praised Trump, according to Politico.
Stephanie Grisham (July 2019–April 2020)
Stephanie Grisham served as first lady Melania’s Trump communications director before her appointment to White House press secretary, per NPR. ABC News reported that Grisham defended President Trump during her tenure, which covered Trump’s impeachment and the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She stepped down in 2020 — and then her relationship with the Trumps took a turn.
Just a year later, Grisham unveiled a new book titled “I’ll Take Your Questions Now,” according to ABC News. The book described a culture of exaggeration, dishonesty, anger and impropriety at the White House.
When asked by news anchor George Stephanopoulos if she felt she was part of that culture, she said: “Yes, I was. And I’ve reflected on that and I regret that. Especially now when watching him, and so many people, push the false election narrative. I now want to, in whatever way I can, educate the public about the behaviors within the White House because it does look like he’s going to try to run in 2024.”
“Stephanie didn’t have what it takes and that was obvious from the beginning,” Trump said after the book was published. “She became very angry and bitter... as time went on she was seldom relied upon, or even thought about. ... Now, like everyone else, she gets paid by a radical left-leaning publisher to say bad and untrue things.”
Where is Grisham now? Following her resignation, Grisham moved to Plainsville, Kansas, where she wrote her book and has now opened an animal rescue, per The Arizona Republic.
Kayleigh McEnany (April 2020–January 2021)
Kayleigh McEnany graduated from Harvard Law, worked for multiple conservative media groups and published a book on Trump’s 2016 election before taking over for Grisham in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, per BBC.
McEnany’s press briefings were related to claims of 2020 election fraud, impeachment fraud and pandemic management strategy, per ABC News.
After leaving the White House, McEnany joined Fox News and began to offer criticism and advice for Trump’s post-presidential career. In response, Trump criticized her several times over X.
Where is McEnany now? McEnany still works for Fox News. She co-hosts “Outnumbered” and serves as an on-air political commentator.
Biden’s press secretaries
Jen Psaki (January 2021–May 2022)
Georgetown University graduate Jen Psaki was an adviser and traveling press secretary in President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, a spokesperson for the Department of State and White House communications director from 2015–2017 before Biden appointed her as press secretary.
Psaki reinstated daily press briefings and quickly became a favorite of left-leaning media outlets. Conservative outlets criticized her for avoiding questions. Psaki left office on good terms with Biden.
Where is Psaki now? Soon after leaving office, Psaki became the anchor for a talk show for media outlet MSNBC.
Karine Jean-Pierre (May 2022 – present)
Jean-Pierre served as chief of staff for Kamala Harris, lectured in international and public affairs at Columbia University and served as deputy press secretary to Psaki before replacing Psaki as press secretary, according to Carnegie. She made history as the role’s first Black occupant as well as its first openly gay occupant.
Jean-Pierre garnered criticism for dodging questions, according to The Associated Press. The Office of Special Counsel also issued her a warning for using the term “MAGA” in reference to the Trump campaign.
Recently, Jean-Pierre’s role has included responding to questions on issues like the attempted assassination of Trump as well as Biden’s presidential debate fiasco, perceived cognitive decline and COVID-19 diagnosis. She has defended Biden throughout, per Fox 25.
At the same time, she has criticized Republican calls for Biden to resign the presidency early and has insisted that his term was successful. “He’s been able to do more again than any president has been able to do in two terms,” she said, per Fox News.
