Biden rapid response director to leave White House for Treasury job

President Biden’s director of rapid response is set to leave the White House press office, which marks another departure from the communications team while the office is undergoing a minor staff shuffle.

Mike Gwin, who has served in the White House since Biden took office, will be deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at the Treasury Department.

Gwin’s portfolio included working on the economic communications team and serving as the primary spokesperson for the Bipartisan Innovation Act. Prior to the White House, he was deputy rapid response director on Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and was a spokesperson for the primary and general elections.

“Michael Gwin has been an indispensable member of our team. His quiet talent, laser-focused approach, and eagerness to take on whatever challenge comes his way has made him a tremendous asset. I know he’s moving on to bigger and better things, and only wish him the best at Treasury,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

His departure announcement follows others from the press office this week, including Vedant Patel, who had served as an assistant press secretary since January 2021 and left for the State Department, and Amanda Finney, the chief of staff in the White House press office who will shift to the Department of Energy.

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki left last month to take a job at MSNBC and was replaced by Jean-Pierre, who previously was the principal deputy press secretary.

Jean-Pierre on Thursday joked about the multiple departures while bidding farewell to Finney at the top of the press briefing.

“I know every day, every day I’m going to be doing these little goodbyes but I promise we will have a press shot. But not everyone is leaving,” she quipped.