Jen Psaki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jen Psaki
|
|
|---|---|
Psaki in 2021
|
|
| 34th White House Press Secretary | |
| In office January 20, 2021 – May 13, 2022 |
|
| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Karine Jean-Pierre (Principal Deputy) |
| Preceded by | Kayleigh McEnany |
| Succeeded by | Karine Jean-Pierre |
| White House Communications Director | |
| In office April 1, 2015 – January 20, 2017 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Jennifer Palmieri |
| Succeeded by | Sean Spicer |
| 23rd Spokesperson for the United States Department of State | |
| In office April 5, 2013 – March 31, 2015 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Deputy | Marie Harf |
| Preceded by | Victoria Nuland |
| Succeeded by | Marie Harf |
| White House Deputy Communications Director | |
| In office December 19, 2009 – September 22, 2011 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Daniel Pfeiffer |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Palmieri |
| White House Deputy Press Secretary | |
| In office January 20, 2009 – December 19, 2009 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Secretary | Robert Gibbs |
| Preceded by | Tony Fratto |
| Succeeded by | Bill Burton |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Jennifer Rene Psaki
December 1, 1978 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Gregory Mecher
(m. 2010) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | College of William & Mary (BA) |
Jennifer Rene Psaki (born December 1, 1978) is an American television political analyst. She is also a former government official. Jen Psaki worked for both the Obama and Biden administrations. She was the 34th White House press secretary for President Joe Biden until May 2022.
A member of the Democratic Party, she held several important roles. These included White House deputy press secretary (2009) and White House communications director (2015–2017). She also served as the spokesperson for the United States Department of State (2013–2015). Before joining the Biden administration, Psaki was a political commentator for CNN. As of July 2025, she hosts the talk show Inside with Jen Psaki on MSNBC and also hosts The Briefing with Jen Psaki.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jen Psaki was born in New York City in 1978. She is the oldest of three daughters. Her father, James Raul Psaki, was a retired real estate developer. His family came from Greece. Her mother, Eileen Dolan Medvey, is a psychotherapist.
Psaki grew up in Stamford, Connecticut. She finished high school at Greenwich High School in 1996. In 2000, she graduated from the College of William & Mary. She earned a degree in English and sociology. While at William & Mary, Psaki was a competitive backstroke swimmer. She swam for the William & Mary Tribe athletic team for two years.
Career in Politics
Starting Her Career
Psaki began her career in politics in 2001. She worked on re-election campaigns for Iowa politicians Tom Harkin and Tom Vilsack. Later, she became the deputy press secretary for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign for president. From 2005 to 2006, Psaki was the communications director for U.S. representative Joseph Crowley. She also worked as a regional press secretary for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Working for President Obama
During Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, Psaki was his traveling press secretary. After Obama won the election, she joined him at the White House. She started as deputy press secretary. On December 19, 2009, she was promoted to deputy communications director. In 2011, Psaki left the White House to work at a public relations firm.
In 2012, Psaki returned to politics. She became the press secretary for President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign. On February 11, 2013, she became the spokesperson for the United States Department of State. In 2015, she returned to the White House as communications director. She stayed in this role until the end of the Obama administration in 2017. After leaving the White House, Psaki worked as a political commentator for CNN.
White House Press Secretary for President Biden
.jpg)
In November 2020, Psaki joined the team helping Joe Biden prepare to become president. Later that month, she was chosen to be the White House press secretary for the Biden administration.
She held her first press briefing on January 20, 2021, the day President Biden was sworn in. Psaki announced in November 2021 that she had tested positive for COVID-19. She recovered and returned to work. She tested positive for COVID-19 again in March 2022. On May 5, 2022, the White House announced that Psaki would leave her role on May 13. Her deputy, Karine Jean-Pierre, became her replacement.
After the White House
On May 24, 2022, MSNBC announced that they had hired Psaki. She began appearing on their shows to discuss the 2022 and 2024 elections. She also started developing her own show. Psaki made her first television appearance after leaving the White House on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
In February 2023, MSNBC announced that Psaki would host a new Sunday morning program called Inside with Jen Psaki. The show began on March 19, 2023. It focuses on public policy issues. In September 2023, the program moved to a prime time slot on Monday evenings.
In May 2024, Psaki released a book titled Say More: Lessons from Work, the White House, and the World. The book shares her experiences in government and gives advice on communication. It quickly became a bestseller.
In July 2024, Psaki supported Kamala Harris for president. She said Harris was the best choice after President Biden decided not to run again. In June 2024, Psaki agreed to speak with the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs. She discussed the Biden Administration's withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in August 2021. She appeared before the committee on July 26, 2024.
In February 2025, MSNBC announced that Jen Psaki would host a new prime time show called "The Briefing With Jen Psaki." This show began in April 2025.
Personal Life
On May 8, 2010, Jen Psaki married Greg Mecher. At the time, he was a chief of staff for Congressman Steve Driehaus. Later, Mecher worked as chief of staff for Congressman Joe Kennedy. The couple first met in 2006 while working for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. They have two children.
See also
In Spanish: Jen Psaki para niños
