White House communications director to give press briefing

White House communications director Kate Bedingfield will brief the press on Tuesday as two key members of the press office are out with COVID-19.

Bedingfield will make her first appearance at the podium in the briefing room with press secretary Jen Psaki and principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre both recovering after their positive tests.

Bedingfield has served as communications director in the White House since President Biden took office. She previously worked on Biden’s presidential campaign and served as his communications director when he was vice president.

Her rare briefing room appearance comes as the White House grapples with a small burst of high profile positive tests for coronavirus.

Psaki tested positive last Wednesday before she was set to join Biden on his trip to Europe to meet with NATO and Group of Seven allies. Psaki, who is vaccinated, previously tested positive in October. She could return sometime this week if she tests negative and is not symptomatic.

Jean-Pierre said in a statement Sunday evening that she tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day after traveling with President Biden on his trip to Europe.    

Jean-Pierre, who is vaccinated against COVID-19, said she has experienced mild symptoms and plans to return to work after a five-day isolation period and a negative test result. 

Both Psaki and Jean-Pierre said they’d had socially distanced meetings with Biden, but that he was not considered a close contact based on CDC guidelines.