White House’s Kirby to get expanded role

John Kirby, who has become a fixture at press briefings amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and fighting between Israel and Hamas, is getting an expanded role at the White House.

Kirby is being promoted from a deputy assistant to the president to an assistant to the president, a White House official confirmed, and his new title will be White House national security communications adviser.

“Admiral Kirby’s decades of high level national security experience and his clear, strategic insights make him a deeply valued communicator and adviser on this team,” said Anita Dunn, a senior adviser to the president, in a statement. “President Biden is proud to have John leading national security message coordination across the administration as we continue to make a forceful case for our national security interests at home and in the world.”

Kirby joined the White House in a communications role through the National Security Council in May 2022. He has been an almost daily presence at White House press briefings alongside press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre over the past several months, fielding questions on matters of foreign policy and giving updates on Ukraine and the the Middle East.

In his new role, Kirby will coordinate national security communicatiowns across agencies at the White House. He will manage a small staff, and he will continue to make appearances in the briefing room, an administration official said.

Kirby’s promotion will not have any impact on Jean-Pierre’s role.

He served as the lead spokesperson for the Pentagon before moving over to the White House. He has also done stints as a spokesperson for the State Department and the Navy.