WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's national security spokesman, John Kirby, is expanding his role in the White House, U.S. officials say.
Kirby will be given the new title of White House national security communications adviser and will be named a White House aide, officials announced Sunday. The official was not authorized to discuss the appointment, which has not been made public, and he spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Details of the expanded role were first reported by Reuters.
Kirby came to the White House in 2022 as the National Security Council's strategic communications coordinator, shortly after Karine Jean-Pierre was appointed White House press secretary following the retirement of former press secretary Jen Psaki. That was it. Previously, the NSC had no one in such a role.
He will run a separate team from the national security reporting team to coordinate information between government agencies, the official said.
Mr. Kirby is a retired U.S. Navy admiral who is highly regarded within the administration for his ability to effortlessly resolve difficult foreign policy issues in public. He also served as chief spokesperson for the Pentagon and State Department during the Obama administration. Under the Biden administration, Kirby has become a fixture in the White House press briefing room. His attendance at press conferences is likely to continue.
