Written by Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President John Kirby joe bidenThe top U.S. national security spokesperson will be promoted and have an expanded role in the White House, a U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday.
Kirby, who has served as chief press secretary at both the Pentagon and the State Department for the past several years, will be promoted from deputy assistant secretary to chief of staff to the president, with a new title of White House national security communications adviser.
He will be responsible for coordinating national security communications across various agencies, the official said.
Mr. Kirby will lead a separate team from the National Security Council Press Office and will continue daily reporting operations as usual. It is led by chief spokesperson Adrian Watson.
Mr. Kirby has been one of the most visible faces in President Biden's White House, and has frequently appeared on stage with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, particularly since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent Israeli attacks. , explaining national security issues. In Gaza.
The official said his presence in the briefing room will continue to coincide with national security issues being the main theme of the day.
Kirby, a former U.S. Navy admiral, has been the National Security Council's strategic communications coordinator since being hired from the Pentagon in 2022.
Under the new structure, he will hire a small staff tasked with helping synchronize the administration's messaging on national security issues.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Mark Porter)
