Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki is set to begin making appearances on MSNBC in the fall, the network’s president announced Tuesday.
The former press secretary is slated to host an original program on Peacock, the streaming service of MSNBC parent company NBCUniversal, in the first quarter of 2023, MSNBC President Rashida Jones said, NBC News reported. She will also make television appearances during the network’s special election programming starting this fall.
“The program, set to debut in the first quarter of 2023, will bring together her unique perspective from behind the podium and her deep experience in the highest levels of government and presidential politics to MSNBC viewers,” the announcement said, according to USA Today. “Psaki will also appear on NBC and during MSNBC’s primetime special election programming throughout the midterms and 2024 presidential election.”
Jones said she hired Psaki due to her “extensive experience in government and on the campaign trail and perspective as a White House and Washington insider,” according to NBC News.
“She’s a familiar face and trusted authority to MSNBC viewers, and we look forward to her insight during this consequential election season,” Jones said.
Psaki made her own announcement on her future career plans Tuesday, after having remained silent on previous reports regarding her employment.
“Thrilled to join the incredible @MSNBC family this fall. Breaking down the facts and getting to the bottom of what’s driving the issues that matter most to people in this country has never been more important,” she tweeted.
Thrilled to join the incredible @MSNBC family this fall. Breaking down the facts and getting to the bottom of what’s driving the issues that matter most to people in this country has never been more important.
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) May 24, 2022
Psaki held her last press briefing May 13, where she choked up and thanked several members of President Joe Biden’s administration and the press corps. (RELATED: Watchdog Group Calls For Investigation Into Jen Psaki’s Alleged ‘Conflict Of Interest’)
“I want to say thank you to the president and the first lady,” Psaki began. “They entrusted me in serving this role for the last fifteen months, and I talked about this a little bit before, but during my first conversation with them, which was in November of 2020 after the election, I was very nervous when I went to see them in Delaware.”
Reports circulated in early April of Psaki’s intention to depart the White House and host a show on Peacock. Her negotiations with network executives raised concerns about the ethical standards surrounding the business dealings.
The former press secretary previously told reporters that she holds ethical requirements to the highest regard and had been working alongside White House counsel to ensure the requirements were followed.
“It is the policy of this White House that anyone who’s having conversations about future employment does so through consultation with the White House counsel’s office and ensuring they abide by ethics and legal requirements and those are conversations that I have taken very seriously and abided by every component of,” she said at an April 1 briefing.