Karine Jean-Pierre Leaves Democratic Party, Becomes Independent

Washington, D.C. — Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced on June 4, 2025, that she has left the Democratic Party to become an independent.

The announcement came via a statement from Legacy Lit, a part of the Hachette Book Group. Jean-Pierre said she chose to “look beyond party lines” and embrace her new identity as an independent, a decision she described as not taken lightly.

In her statement, Jean-Pierre explained her reasoning by stating, “the current political moment necessitates freeing ourselves of boxes.” She emphasized the importance of creative thinking and questioning loyalty to party ideals.

Jean-Pierre, who served as the White House press secretary from May 13, 2022, until the end of President Joe Biden‘s term, became the first Black woman and openly gay person to hold the position. She previously worked under former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The change comes as the Democratic Party is seeking to regain momentum following setbacks in the 2024 elections.

“I determined that the danger we face as a country requires freeing ourselves of boxes,” Jean-Pierre stated. “We need to be clear-eyed and questioning, rather than blindly loyal and obedient as we may have been in the past.”

Jean-Pierre’s new book, titled “Independent,” is set to be released on October 21, 2025. In the book, she aims to provide insights into the White House during Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election, which she attributes to a sense of betrayal by the Democratic Party.