Karine Jean-Pierre, the former White House press secretary under President Joe Biden, is being brutally mocked as “desperate,” over her shocking decision to leave the Democratic Party and relaunch her public image as an “independent.”
The announcement came alongside the rollout of a new memoir, which prompted brutal accusations of career salvage tactics from critics of the notorious Biden defender.
On Wednesday, Jean-Pierre revealed she had dropped her Democratic affiliation, describing her shift as an invitation for Americans to think “outside the box.”
The announcement coincided with the unveiling of her upcoming book titled Independent: A Look Inside a Broken White House, Outside the Party Lines, in which she claims to provide insider insights into the final weeks of the Biden administration.
Self-proclaimed “queer historical figure” Karine Jean-Pierre has now left the Democrat party and is selling a book that no one will buy. pic.twitter.com/D4XzrgaZ5l
— Andrew @ Don’t Walk, RUN! (@DontWalkRUN) June 4, 2025
The book, promoted by Legacy Lit, a division of the Hachette Book Group, was described as a deep dive into the “three weeks that led to Biden’s abandoning his bid for a second term and the betrayal by the Democratic Party that led to his decision.”
The publisher also claimed Jean-Pierre offers “provocative evidence” and aims to dismantle what she sees as disinformation spread throughout recent elections.
But critics familiar with her time at the podium unapologetically covering up Biden’s declining health aren’t buying it.
Will Karine Jean-Pierre’s book reach this level of success? pic.twitter.com/22e3u4YeB4
— GrrrGraphics-Ben Garrison 🤠 Cartoons 🇺🇸 (@GrrrGraphics) June 5, 2025
One White House reporter ridiculed the notion that Jean-Pierre could provide a credible account. “Did she find the manuscript somewhere in that fat binder she toted around?” the reporter asked sarcastically.
“If I were a historian writing about the Biden White House, I wouldn’t ignore what Karine has to say, but it’s not an account in which much weight will be invested — just like her briefings.”
WATCH: Karine Jean-Pierre almost cries because all mainstream reporters have turned on her pic.twitter.com/YBxtnz0aKu
— George (@BehizyTweets) July 8, 2024
Her critics within the administration are even harsher. A former White House official who worked closely with her told Axios she was “one of the most ineffectual and unprepared people I’ve ever worked with. … She had meltdowns after any interview that asked about a topic not sent over by producers.”
The official added, “She didn’t know how to manage a team, didn’t know how to shape or deliver a message, and often created more problems than she solved.”
Another reporter covering the White House admitted to being “shocked” by Jean-Pierre’s sudden abandonment of her party.
🚨 PETER DOOCY on Karine Jean Pierre’s new book: “You know, it’s like I had a dream, and I opened up the first page of her book about the ‘broken White House’ and the first sentence says, ‘Peter Doocy told me, and I didn’t listen to him’.”
“The thing about this book is that she,… pic.twitter.com/zm4yxQymp1
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) June 5, 2025
“I have to pick my jaw up from the floor,” the reporter said. “It is unbelievable that she, of all people, would choose this path.”
“Just take a look at her entire career and identity,” the reporter added. “You can’t change who you are just because you check a different box on a registration form.”
One of the many compilations of Karine Jean-Pierre’s outrageous lies that I made during her time as Press Secretary.
Now she’s getting in on the grift and is releasing a book about the Biden Admin. This gets more ridiculous every day.pic.twitter.com/ZPAZTdkGYV
— MAZE (@mazemoore) June 4, 2025
Jean-Pierre shared a video message on Instagram to promote her new status and explain her motivations, positioning herself as a unifier for Americans disillusioned with partisanship.
“I think we need to stop thinking in boxes and think outside of our boxes and not be so partisan,” she said in the post.
“If you are willing to stand side by side with me, regardless of … how you identify politically, and as long as you respect the community that I belong to and vulnerable communities that I respect, I will be there with you.”
From May 2022 until the end of Biden’s presidency, Jean-Pierre was the most visible public defender of the administration, routinely appearing at press briefings and interviews to downplay growing concerns over Biden’s mental acuity and physical health.
Her denials intensified in July 2024, when Biden withdrew from the presidential race following a widely criticized debate performance.
“There’s been no cover up. I want to be very clear about that,” Jean-Pierre said at the time, flatly rejecting claims that the administration had hidden the president’s frailty.
Fox News’ Peter Doocy: “It would seem that people in this White House knew that President Biden was slipping … Who ordered White House officials to cover up a declining president?”
Karine Jean-Pierre: “There’s been no cover-up.” pic.twitter.com/opuk9RbK6W
— The Recount (@therecount) July 24, 2024
Even as Biden’s condition became more difficult to ignore, she refused to backtrack on her previous positions. Asked if she regretted brushing off health-related questions, she replied, “Not at all.”
She then pointed a finger at conservative outlets. “Let me be clear, it was a certain part of the media – you can speak to this better than I can – it was a certain part of the media which was doing this,” she told a Fox News reporter.
“At the end of the day, they’re fakes. That what they were, targeting the president.” She insisted, “I don’t regret it at all. It was just the facts.”
UNDER PRESSURE: White House Press Sec. Karine Jean-Pierre grilled about whether she regrets calling videos of President Biden appearing confused “cheap fakes” in the wake of his disastrous debate performance. pic.twitter.com/QPS1JQJqpB
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 3, 2024
Reaction to her rebranding wasn’t confined to anonymous officials or unnamed reporters. Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly openly mocked Jean-Pierre’s pivot, labeling it a transparent attempt to reset her image after serving in two Democratic administrations.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. … What a lie. … She’s going to tell us what it’s like to be an independent?” Kelly said during an episode of The Megyn Kelly Show. She added that the shift “has the stank of desperation.”
“She ran for the hills trying to pretend she knows what independence is,” Kelly continued.
Kelly went on to contrast Jean-Pierre with previous press secretaries across administrations. “You have had press secretaries … Dana Perino, Kayleigh McEnany, Tony Snow back in the day … who are smart people. Who are not, really, let’s face it, utter morons who are just out there as mouthpiece,” Kelly said.
“Obviously. Karoline Leavitt … very smart person. But Karine Jean Pierre is not on the list. All right? Even Jen Psaki, she’s not a moron, but Karine Jean Pierre is a total moron. You only need to have watched her for two days to pick that up.”
According to Kelly, Jean-Pierre has little credibility left. “There is literally nobody in the country who wants to hear her political analysis on anything,” she said.
Reports have also surfaced that Jean-Pierre had set her sights on a spot on The View as part of her post-administration career strategy.
According to Politico, she traveled to New York and was featured in profiles aimed at boosting her chances for a role on the show. Despite her efforts, she did not land the job.