Changes are on the way for the White House communications team, as the long-serving director of communications is set to depart.
Kate Bedingfield, who has led President Joe Biden’s communications team for several years, is stepping down, according to the White House.
In a statement released on Friday, the White House announced that Bedingfield would be leaving the job at the end of the month. She will be replaced by Ben LaBolt.
“Bedingfield, who served as then-Vice President Joe Biden’s communications director in 2015-2016 and then as Deputy Campaign Manager for his successful 2020 presidential race, has played an integral role in the successes of the first two years of the Biden-Harris Administration, from the American Rescue Plan through the Inflation Reduction Act,” the statement said.
Biden himself heaped praise on his soon-to-be former employee.
“Since my time as Vice President, Kate has been a loyal and trusted adviser, through thick and thin,” Biden said.
“She was a critical strategic voice from the very first day of my presidential campaign in 2019 and has been a key part of advancing my agenda in the White House. The country is better off as a result of her hard work and I’m so grateful to her — and to her husband and two young children — for giving so much.”
According to Politico, Bedingfield originally announced her intention to step down back in July, only to reverse her decision and stay on the job.
Bedingfield is not the only high-profile official leaving the Biden administration.
Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, is also leaving, with replacement Jeff Zients preparing to form his own team, according to Politico. This is likely to increase turnover among the president’s staff.
Axios reported on Thursday that Zach Butterworth, private sector liaison for the White House, would leave that role on Friday.
Butterworth was instrumental in securing corporate backing for Biden’s economic initiatives. According to Mitch Landrieu, the White House infrastructure implementation coordinator, his efforts were critical to Biden’s “green” policies.
“This White House is really intentional and aggressive about making sure that we’re reaching out to the business community, reaching out to labor, reaching out to stakeholders around the country, to try to develop consensus,” Landrieu said.
“Zach helped lead that effort. … He is going to be terribly missed in the White House.”
